A community group has unveiled ambitious plans to create new sports facilities at Dunvegan on Skye.
Home games for football teams on the north-west of the island currently require a 35-mile trip to use the pitch at Portree – but that could be about to change.
North West Skye Recreational Association (NWSRA) will inform Highland Council’s north planning applications committee tomorrow of its intention to lodge a planning application for a new facility.
The group wants to construct an outdoor multi function sports pitch and associated changing rooms, fencing and car park.
The pitch would be sited on land south of Dunvegan Fire Station.
It is expected to cost in the region of £350,000 to build and NWSRA believes it will be able to raise the funding.
The project is part of a longer term plan to build a £2million wellbeing centre at the site.
Kevyn Smith, vice chairman of North West Skye Recreational Association, said: “MacLeod Estate and Roag Township have gifted us some land provided we can build a sustainable recreation facility.
“We are looking in the long term to site a well being centre to help people with fitness and health related fitness issues.
“In the short term we are looking to establish a full sized football pitch and we are hoping to be able to afford a shinty pitch and put some changing facilities there.
“We plan to take up more land than we need, and we are hoping to develop a range of other play activities which would be a real community asset for the people of north west Skye.
“At the moment football teams from primary schools and the adult teams which play in the league have to play their games in Portree, 25 miles away from Dunvegan.
“For some people in north west Skye, Portree is upwards of 35 miles away.
“For kids in our area and rural areas of Scotland it is very hard for them to participate in sports and become the type of athletes that end up playing in the Olympic Games, because we can’t get the infrastructure available to them.
“This is just a little step to help communities to be able to participate in football and shinty and in the long term get more recreational facilities for the community.”
