A CONSTRUCTION project, which will provide electricity to Staffin's harbour for the first time in its history, is set to get underway.
Staffin Community Trust (SCT) has confirmed Edinbane-based contractor Craik & MacRae is due to start this week on the new power line, following a route from Columba 1400 Centre over the Garafad common grazing.
Providing electricity to the harbour is the second part of the Enabling Works phase by SCT, which saw the public road upgraded last year at a cost of more than £400,000. Providing a water supply is also planned.
SCT is currently progressing a historic purchase of the harbour, which was built in the early 1900s, from the current owners, the council and Scottish Ministers, and is also working on a lease agreement with Crown Estate Scotland.
The intention is to deliver major improvements including an enhanced breakwater, upgraded slipway and on-shore facilities to support and create new jobs at the harbour. The harbour development has full planning permission for the on and off-shore works and earlier this year the Scottish Land Fund approved a grant of £116,000 to support the community purchase of the facility.
SSE will be extending its current power substation, next to the Columba 1400 car park, to accommodate the new line.
The electrical works are costing a total of £194,000, with support from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and the Fisheries Harbours Assistance.
SCT would like to thank the Garafad township, Columba 1400 and the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments Inspections Directorate for supporting the power works.
Meanwhile, a £300,000 rock blasting and extraction contract will also start this autumn at Lealt Quarry by the contractor G.F Job Ltd. This will enable SCT to secure a significant amount of the armour rock required for the new breakwater at the harbour. No material will be transported from Lealt to the current harbour in this phase of the works. More information, including a start date, will be provided to the community as soon as possible.
SCT has also secured a financial boost from the council’s Community Regeneration Grant which has approved a grant of £23,200 to progress the detailed design of the development layout by the marine engineers Wallace Stone Ltd.