Residents on Skye are being encouraged to share their thoughts on plans to improve infrastructure on two tourist spots.
Highland Council is hosting consultations on two separate projects to improve facilities and ease the pressure caused by the current tourism boom.
The authority wants to increase parking at Bayfield West Car Park in Portree and make improvements to the paths at the world-famous Old Man of Storr.
However, before the car park plans – which are a joint partnership between the council, Portree and Braes Community Trust and Portree Tennis and Squash Club – can progress, locals are being asked to raise any concerns they may have and to discuss the benefits of project.
If approved, it is visualised the works will be completed by May next year.
The council will also be hosting public information sessions on plans to upgrade the Old Man of Storr paths, which will be funded by the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund. It will not only improve visitor access but also protect the iconic landscapes and internationally important habitat.
A huge increase in visitors to the Old Man of Storr has been experienced in the past decade, with numbers rising from 27,000 from 2007 to 205,000 in 2018, with indications that visitor numbers expected to continue to rise.
Chairman of the Skye and Raasay committee, Councillor John Gordon hopes as many people as possible the chance to get involved.
He said: “Both of these projects have the potential to bring benefits to the many visitors who want to come to enjoy what Skye has to offer and address some of the issues our high visitor numbers have on our local communities.
“The drop-in consultation events are a chance to find out more, pass on your ideas and views and chat face to face with those involved in taking the projects forward.”
Consultation events on the Portree car park plans will be held from today until Thursday, from 9am-6.30pm in the SLCVO Office in Portree.
An online survey has been created for those who cannot attend the Bayfield Car park consultation events to provide feedback until September 9.
On Friday, the Old Man of Storr plans will be discussed in Staffin from 2pm-7pm, with a further event in the council chamber in Portree on Saturday from 11am-3pm.
