Projects herald rebirth of Gigha community

Published on Saturday 15 March 2003 00:00

THE signs of progress are evident from the three small but highly significant business units now taking shape, the first to be built on the island of Gigha. Two have already been snapped up and such is the interest in the third that another two are being planned. Work will also shortly begin on 14 new houses, the first for 25 years, to meet rising demand.

A year on from their very public and record-breaking take-over of the land, Gigha residents say they have made significant progress in reversing the decline of the past and planning growth in the future.

Today the 110-strong islanders will plant a tree and hold the obligatory ceilidh to mark the first anniversary of the take-over of the island by a community-led trust. The 4 million buy-out from the previous laird, Derek Holt, was secured with a 3.5 million grant from the Scottish Land Fund and 500,000 from Highland and Islands Enterprise's community land unit.

Reality set in soon after the celebrations ended. A survey showed only one of the 41 houses the trust took over was in good shape. In all, 75 per cent of housing available for permanent let was considered below tolerable standard and the remainder in "serious disrepair".

The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust has since negotiated increased housing improvement grants to tackle the problem after council officials said the universally poor condition of the stock was unprecedented in Argyll.

Alan Hobbett, the trust’s project manager, said: "The situation highlighted the decades of underinvestment on the island."

Fourteen homes are now proposed for existing islanders and people planning to move to Gigha. From next month, eight affordable homes will be built by the Fyne Housing Association, while six households have bought plots from the trust.

Four families already live on the island and the other two wish to return. The building of the new houses, and the re-allocation of existing properties, is expected to add another 35 to the Gigha population.

A community-owned construction company is also being set up to carry out improvements to the trust’s stock over the next six years.

The families coming to the island will include the first occupants of the business units, a wood carver and sculptor from Dumfries and a producer of quality foods presently living in the Western Isles. Their arrival will also help boost the primary school roll from its present seven.

Willie McSporran, the trust chairman, said: "Over the last year there have been lots of talking and meeting about what we are going to build and what grants we could get for the best way forward.

"Now these business units are on the way, they are the first sign that we are replacing tongue-wagging with bricks."

The population will also be boosted by the sale of Achamore House, the former laird’s residence. The trust is currently in talks with three interested parties, two from the UK and one from the United States.