Row over site for St Kilda visitor centre

Published on Friday 13 November 2009 20:18

ACCUSATIONS of unfairness have dogged a plan to create a St Kilda visitor centre in the Outer Hebrides.

Growing interest in the story of the archipelago – the remotest part of the British Isles – led to proposals for the centre. But due to its location, the facility is to be based in a more accessible part of the Western Isles.

In September, a working group set up to oversee the project announced three sites for further investigation: Cleitreval in North Uist, Leverburgh in Harris and Mangersta in Uig, Lewis. Last month, consultants recommended Mangersta as the preferred option.

But since then the communities who missed out have claimed that selection criteria was altered after the submissions were lodged.

Sealladh Hiort, the North Uist group, said it suspects "manoeuvring to affect the result" and wants a "full and open review".

A spokesman said: "A great deal of work went in to preparing a bid based on criteria that were then altered at a very late stage in proceedings. It's akin to participating in a tournament only to find out towards the end that the rules you have been playing to have been changed without your knowledge."

And the Harris team said: "We are furious about the outrageous amendments to the original criteria which is almost unrecognisable to that which was actually scored by the consultants."

Angus MacCormack, chairman of the St Kilda Centre working group, said: "We considered the matters brought to our attention. We will be in touch with the teams in due course."

Western Isles Council's tourism committee is due to discuss the issue next week.

St Kilda is a dual World Heritage Site, for its natural environment and cultural heritage.