More than £200,000 has been awarded to a number of community projects by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

The awards have been made available from the third-round of its Community Capital Grant Fund (CCGF). In total, £234, 977 has been awarded.

Five projects will benefit from the financial boost which will help the groups deliver community schemes and create employment within their area.

They are:

• Breasclete Community Association (£29,777)

A multi-use dedicated pathway will be created between Callanish crossroads and Callanish Visitor Centre and run adjacent to the single-track village road. This will provide a safe route for all non-vehicle purposes, as well as interlink villages and community facilities to a world class visitor attraction.

• Comann na Mara (£25,000)

A shoreside development in Lochmaddy will complement the pontoons which were installed earlier this year and help develop marine business investment and promote tourism.


• Grimsay Community Association (£50,000)

The new Centre for Grimsay in North Uist will become an economic, cultural and social hub for the island and will include a café, community growing and market area, gathering and/or performance space, a local history archive and a Post Office.

• Harris Development Ltd (£100,000)

Known as the Harris Marina Hub, there are plans to install floating pontoons in East Loch Tarbert in Harris. The pontoons would be located in the village of Tarbert and on the Island of Scalpay, helping to provide a marina hub for visiting yachts and local pleasure craft.

• Lochboisdale Development Ltd (£30,000)

This initiative will complement a major regeneration project in Locboisdale by increasing visitors to the area. The project will see a redundant quayside space transformed into a vibrant, attractive and commercially productive area.

Welcoming the investments, Councillor Alasdair Macleod, Chair of Comhairle's Sustainable Development Committee, said: "This is the third round of grants awarded to community groups from the Comhairle's Community Capital Grant Fund. We have seen very high quality applications from community groups wanting to develop facilities. In this round we have helped shoreside enhancements, community facilities, marine development and tourism projects.

"The Comhairle's Economic Development service is accessible throughout the islands to support and assist properly-constituted groups with projects that will continue to create real economic development opportunities within local communities."

(JP/CD)