Beautiful, tiny Scottish island - population 170 - looking for two new families

New homes to be built in village of Achnacroish on east side of Lismore

For the right families, it could be a dream move to a beautiful, peaceful place.

Lismore in the Inner Hebrides near Oban - which 170 people call home - is hoping to attract two new families to help support island life.

Two new three-bedroom homes are due to be built in the village of Achnacroish on the east side of the island, which is where the ferry to the mainland and the school, which has nine pupils and three early learners, can be found.

Lismore Community Trust was awarded almost £84,000 of public funds to buy land for the homes, which are being designed with families in mind.

Andrew Livingstone, chair of the trust, said: “The Lismore Community Trust is delighted to be in receipt of the Scottish Land Fund Grant.

“ It is a major step in being able to deliver two brand new community owned homes that we hope will attract new families who will support the community and infrastructure.

“This will inevitably help sustain the Lismore Primary School, assist in stabilising the population on the island and, we hope, attract new skilled individuals to work on the island.”

Described as a “small, friendly community with a strong community spirit”, Lismore - which translates as Great Garden in Gaelic - is around 10 miles long.

READ MORE: ‘I visited a surprising Scottish island that is home to just 170 people - it was like stepping back in time’

It sits at the very south end of the Great Glen and has a long and strong history and Gaelic culture. It also provides a beautiful setting for walking, cycling and kayaking with stunning views of the mainland mountains.

Meanwhile, over on Raasay, which sits between Skye and the mainland, the community has been given £137,000 by the Scottish Land Fund to acquire two terraced houses in Inverarish which will be redeveloped for affordable rented accommodation for the community.

Lindsay MacLean, director at Raasay Development Trust, said: ”Being able to buy these traditional terraced houses means that we can now fully renovate them and provide another two homes for social rent. Although our population is now just under 200, local job prospects mean there is the opportunity for this to increase.

“However, we have too many people living in unsuitable accommodation, such as caravans, or potential new residents unable to take up job offers as there is nowhere for them to live. This funding will therefore help our small island community and its economy in so many ways and we could not be more delighted.”

The grants are amongst 11, totalling £1,460,888, that have been recently announced this week for projects throughout Scotland.

Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust has received £166,720 to purchase two parcels of land at Ratagan and Saraig, Lochalsh, from Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) through Community Asset Transfer (CAT). KLCT will provide woodland crofts, two business units, a community growing space, and a campsite.

And Friends of Portnahaven Church on Islay have been awarded £85,990 to acquire Portnahaven church from the Church of Scotland and convert it into a flexible space for group gatherings, activities, exhibitions and life events.

The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade.

Mairi Gougeon, cabinet secretary, rural affairs and islands, said: “To date the Scottish Government has invested more than £50 million through hundreds of awards through the Scottish Land Fund to help communities develop facilities they need. These latest groups to share the funding show the incredible mix of how this support can be used to offer social, sporting and wellness spaces and support the development of much-needed affordable housing options.”