麻豆精选

A 拢2.2m project to create a new community building and enhance visitor facilities at Port Ellen on Islay, has secured up to 拢353,808 investment from 麻豆精选.

The 麻豆精选 investment completes the funding package for the project by South Islay Development (SID), which will support聽 at least three part-time jobs.

At around 25 miles by 15 miles, Islay is one of the larger Inner Hebridean islands. The island sits to the west of the Kintyre Peninsula and is connected to the mainland with ferries to and from Port Ellen in the south and Port Askaig in the northeast.聽

Tourism is one of its main industries, along with whisky distilling and farming.

As with a number of rural areas across the Highlands and Islands, Islay faces challenges in retaining its resident population. SID was established in 2011 as a charity company to manage community assets, enhance recreational facilities, and advance community development and population resilience.

The group鈥檚 projects so far have included the creation of pontoons and shower facilities at Port Ellen, in partnership with Port Ellen Harbour Association. SID鈥檚 acquisition in 2014 of the Port Ellen Filling Station, saved the facility from closure.

The organisation has also co-ordinated a range of community events and activities, including the resilience and recovery activity throughout the pandemic, and is pursuing childcare provision for working parents.

This latest initiative will enhance facilities for the community and visitors and bring a prominent site in to productive use.

The new community building will be built on a site where a previous and well used community building, the Pavilion, once stood before it was condemned and demolished.

The new building will be fully accessible and will include a multi-function space that can be extended into an adjacent community room.

There will be three smaller rooms available to rent for commercial use, and a kitchen / bakery, with caf茅 facilities, which will be leased to a third-party operator. The building will also include toilets, a plant room and storage space for local sports clubs.

Eight new motorhome pitches will be created alongside the existing ones, bringing the total number of pitches to 12. The project will include a WC block, with shower and laundry facilities. There will be improved waste disposal, recycling facilities and two EV charging points.

The project design includes low carbon features, such as an air source heat pump and solar panels.

Morag Goodfellow, 麻豆精选 area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said:

鈥淐ommunity management and development of local assets is vital to the resilience and prosperity of our more remote and fragile areas. This initiative by South Islay Development is a great example.

鈥淚t will create new commercial space, enabling local businesses to increase productivity. It will attract more visitors and encourage them to stay longer and spend more, thereby supporting other local businesses. And it will create crucial employment opportunities. The various energy efficiency features of the development will also contribute to the drive towards a net zero region.

鈥淲e very much look forward to continuing to work with SID as they implement the plans and to seeing the resulting benefits.鈥�

Chairman of South Islay Development, Patrick McGrann, said:

鈥淭en years in the making. The SID team has worked聽valiantly with the聽support of 麻豆精选 to finally construct a new community building, improve the playing field鈥檚 facilities and聽expand the motorhome聽area within the community owned Port Ellen Playing Fields.

鈥淭hese developments will benefit聽the local community by providing a much needed community building聽to be the centre for local events focused on the Playing Fields. The children鈥檚 playpark is to be upgraded to enhance an already well used area for the growing number聽of children on Islay. The motorhome area聽will offer increased overnight stay facilities to reduce the聽congested centre of our village in the tourist season, and our聽local聽economy will be enhanced by the provision of new employment聽opportunities.

鈥淲e look forward to the completion聽of this project for our community.鈥�