Business units for community regeneration estate 10/11/13
Enterprise agency HIE is investing £154,000 towards the construction of six business and office units in a bid to regenerate the community of West Harris.
The West Harris Trust plans to develop the facilities at Horgabost as part of a project which includes a community venue, office space for trust staff, a children’s play area, and provisions for caravans and campervans.
The community got a kick-start when the Scottish Government sold the 16,254-acre district of West Harris to the people in January 2010.
The land is made up of three estates covering the townships of Scaristavore, Borve and Luskentyre. There have been fears for its long term prospects unless new people are attracted into the community of West Harris which currently has a population of 123.
The trust hopes that projects to create jobs and develop small scale renewable energy projects will reverse the trend of depopulation. Other projects planned by the trust include building affordable housing and helping generate income by improving the tourism potential of the area.
The facilities are designed to be built using timber cladding and turf roofs which
will lower the visual impact in an exceptional landscape in a National Scenic Area.
They will also be more energy efficient by minimising heat loss.”