Funding boost for island projects in Skye, Eigg and Canna
Island communities in Highland are celebrating today after confirmation of a major funding boost that will help four key local projects.
All four applications in Highland submitted to the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme for 25/26 were successful in securing funding - with £706,039 awarded in total.
The following programmes will benefit from the funds.
- South Skye Community Campus project Phase 1 – All-weather pitch – Broadford
Total Project Cost: £844,143
Islands Programme Grant: £327,393
- Coroghan Barn Technical Design – Isle of Canna
Total Project Cost: £308,960
Total Islands Programme Grant: £250,800
- Eigg Electric – Resilience and Enabling Works
Total Project Cost: £32,900
Total Islands Programme Grant: £32,900
- Eigg’s Net Zero Homes – Phase 2 (NZH-2)
Total Project Cost: £116,262
Total Islands Programme Grant: £94,946
Skye and Raasay Area Committee Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: “I am delighted to see support given to the South Skye Community Camus – a key project for the island which has widespread support and which I have championed for several years.
“The SSCC project is being developed alongside the new Highland Council primary school in Broadford and these developments represent significant investment in the area. They highlight what can be achieved when communities, local authorities and government all work together on a shared goal.
“Replacing the grass pitch with a floodlit all-weather pitch will enable sport to be played all year round rather than the current limited 4 / 5 months a year available on the grass pitch.
“This will give local communities access to a wider range of sports and activities, benefitting a number of clubs and widening opportunities for our young people. The fact that this facility will allow sport to be played in winter as well as summer is vital to support health and wellbeing right through the year.
“I congratulate all those involved for their vision, hard work and perseverance in getting to this stage and I am delighted that strong partnership working and financial support from the council has contributed to this fantastic news.”
Lochaber Committee Chair, Cllr Kate Willis, said: “This support is really encouraging news for the Small Isles communities, and I am delighted that these funds are being delivered.
“On Canna the community and the National Trust for Scotland see the redevelopment of the barn as key to the island’s 10-year regeneration strategy. It will link with other planned developments including new affordable housing and improvements to the visitor facilities and infrastructure.
“On Eigg, the community is building on earlier fantastic efforts which brought off grid renewable energy to power an island which had previously relied on diesel generator. The infrastructure upgrades will support further renewable generation and distribution, while the renovation scheme will secure the long-term viability of Eigg’s community-owned housing stock.
“These are terrific initiatives helping to regenerate island populations in an innovative and sustainable manner.”
The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “The Highland Council are delighted that the Scottish Government has awarded much needed funds via the Islands Programme to these essential projects.
“Through the provision of new and enhanced facilities, better infrastructure and upgraded housing, the developments will being tremendous benefits to their island communities.
"Highland Council is committed to support for our islands, helping their communities to grown and flourish into the future.
"These funds will help support population and economic growth and aid with the transition to net zero – all key ambitions for the Highlands and for Scotland.
“Congratulations to all who have helped drive through the projects to get to this stage.”
£5.9 million of funding from the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme and the Carbon Neutral Islands Fund has been delivered for infrastructure projects on Scottish islands with the Scottish Futures Trust providing coordination and advice.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “I am pleased we have been able to provide substantial funding towards projects across island areas. They are all fine examples of how we can work together with communities and local authorities to boost island economies in ways that are sustainable and generate revenue that can be reinvested locally.”
About the projects
South Skye Community Campus
The South Skye Community Campus (SSCC) was created to develop, enhance and maintain new and existing sporting, leisure and recreational community facilities for the South Skye area.
The short term aims of the organisation and wider community are to develop and manage new facilities including:
• Full-size all-weather pitch including flood lighting (Phase 1)
• Changing pavilion and multi-use space including gym (Phase 2)
• Bike Pump Track (Phase 2)
The SSCC project is being developed alongside the new Highland Council primary school in Broadford.
The first phase of the development will be a full-size, floodlit all-weather pitch on the site of the existing grass football pitch which has no lighting.
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Coroghan Barn
Isle of Canna Community Development Trust (IoCCDT) is working in partnership with the owners of Canna, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to preserve and redevelop the historic Coroghon Barn.
The project, being led by the community, will see a derelict 230-year-old structure restored and redeveloped to create new community facilities, visitor accommodation, business space and a heritage project.
The objectives of the project are to;
• Create a new community-controlled asset with multi-function spaces for social activities and commercial events
• Provide additional visitor accommodation in the form of a 20-bed bunkhouse to supplement the limited accommodation options on the island
• Create workspaces for use by residents and visiting remote workers
• Generate a sustainable revenue stream that will support IoCCDT’s social and economic development activities
• Protect the historic B-listed structure from further deterioration and potential collapse and to conserve the cultural heritage associated with it
• Strengthen services that will support the regeneration of the community in this Fragile Area.
• Contribute to a more balanced and sustainable model of tourism in the Small Isles
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Eigg Electric Ltd
The capital infrastructure project will add upgraded earthing to all the electric connections Eigg Electric Ltd (EEL) provides to domestic and business customers on the Isle of Eigg. The upgrade is essential to ensuring Eigg’s off-grid renewable grid infrastructure can be expanded to enable increased generation capacity that supports population and economic growth and the transition to net zero.
Eigg is not connected to the mainland grid. EEL owns and manages Eigg’s renewable microgrid and provides electricity to all homes and businesses on the island. EEL is a trading subsidiary of the charity Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. Before EEL started operating in 2008, every home and business had its own diesel generator.
The microgrid requires new earthing 100mA RCD (residual current device) to be installed before the meters. The upgrade will meet current regulation and allow EEL to expand its renewable generation and distribution. Expansion will enable existing homes and businesses to transition to zero carbon heating and transport and the growth of new homes and businesses.
The 100mA breaker installation will be carried out by Eigg Electric’s maintenance team
The project will deliver sustainable energy as EEL maximise the benefits of renewable energy while continuing to decarbonise transport (through EV chargers) and building resilient connections.
Eigg’s Net Zero Homes
The Net Zero Homes project is a two-phase programme of works to complete the eco-renovation of the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust’s (IEHT) ten affordable rent homes. These homes represent 19 per cent of Eigg’s total housing and are critical infrastructure for retaining population and sustaining the island’s economic and social resilience.
The Phase 2 project is being delivered alongside a unique partnership with Highland Council’s Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS), which will provide insulation, ventilation, and solar PVs installations across IEHT’s homes and other rented and privately owned Eigg homes. This partnership ensures value for money and greater impact for NZH-2.
Completion of NZH-2 will improve Eigg’s housing infrastructure by, meeting or exceeding EPC targets, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and enabling a gradual increase in rents as tenants benefit from homes that cost less to heat.
The rent increase will support IEHT's staffing costs, enable new economic/social development, and start to build a capital reserve ring-fenced for housing maintenance and repairs.
The project will protect ten community-owned assets, using a fabric-first approach, by delivering:
• 1 home with new roof and guttering to reduce heat loss and water ingress
• 3 homes installed with roof insulation (ineligible under EES:ABS)
• 3 homes with re-rendered chimneys (6 in total) to repair cracked and defective finishes
• 10 homes with appropriate cowls fitted to enable trickle ventilation and shift accumulated moisture
• 5 kitchens replaced to increase the percentage of the houses being retrofitted with internal wall insulation
• 1 full eco-renovation of a vacant house in poor condition (following the death of a long-term tenant)
• 10 homes with electrical upgrades to meet EICR regulatory standards.
This NZH-2 project improves housing infrastructure for existing residents and secures the long-term viability of Eigg’s community-owned housing stock.