Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review: Harris and Scalpay case study
Six place-based case studies have been produced as part of Stage 3 of the Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review. This is the Harris and Scalpay case study. The others are East Borders, East Moray, Lochalsh and South Skye,, Orkney and West Lothian.
About Harris and Scalpay
Harris and Scalpay are located at the southern end of the island of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. The island of Scalpay was only connected to Harris via a land bridge in 1997, and as such has its own independent identity and history. They share many of the same challenges as other parts of the Outer Hebrides, such as depopulation, lack of affordable housing, sparse and unreliable public transport, and a need for more sustainable tourism. In order to coordinate community development efforts, the Harris Forum was established in 2017 and is a key stakeholder in supporting shared priorities.
Also in common with the rest of the Outer Hebrides, much of the land is now under community ownership through the well-established North Harris and West Harris Trusts, while plans to bring the Bays of Harris Estate into community ownership are very advanced.
Community Led Local Development in Harris and Scalpay
In the Outer Hebrides, Community Led Local Development funding is decided by the Local Action Group and coordinated by the Local Authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. There is a lot of active community development happening across the Isle of Harris, from cultural initiatives in West Harris to entrepreneurial initiatives in the Tarbert areas and South Harris.
Contact
Email: socialresearch@gov.scot