A north Skye community is hoping to reach the heights of Hollywood through the launch of the first-ever crowdfunding campaign on the island to build affordable homes and deliver a new medical clinic.
The Staffin Community Trust (SCT), based in the north end of the island, are today launching their campaign alongside a four-minute video highlighting the challenges of retaining those who already live in the area and attracting families and young people to the area.
The area has been an extremely popular location with Hollywood hits such as Macbeth and Prometheus, with pop star Harry Styles’ debut video Sign of the Times shot near Staffin slipway.
SCT hopes to draw on the productions popularity to encourage production companies to give something back to the area.
Their launch comes 20 years after the last affordable housing development opened in the community and has been brought together alongside partners at the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT) and the Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association (LSHA).
SCT is to commence construction of the six three-bedroom family homes and clinic early next year.
There are also plans to deliver business units at the site, close to the villages primary school.
SCT development officer Hugh Ross said: “The campaign film spells out the challenges faced in progressing this development and the benefits it will deliver, hopefully it will persuade viewers to support a community-led project.”
A target of £46,000 has been set for the crowdfunding campaign, with this sum being spent directly on construction costs, specifically including the foundations of the new houses and the walls and roof of the new clinic.
The trust argues that there is a “chronic shortage” of affordable housing for young people and families in the area, with high property prices driving folk away from the area resulting in a population decline over the past decade and school roll numbers shrinking.
Martin Perry, Staffin Hall Community Association chairman, said: “Whilst we cannot affect the price of the housing in the current market, what we can do is to build affordable and sustainable housing for the younger generation.
“It is particularly important that the younger generation inherits a sustainable community and continues the work that current volunteers in the trust, the community council and the community hall committee currently do. None of us are getting any younger, we need continuity – we need youngsters.”
Staffin Community Council chairman John MacKenzie added: “As a rural community it is important that we find ways and means of attracting families into the area. Staffin has lots to offer in terms of environment, tourism and so on.
“However, in the current climate, it is a struggle for many to afford a house in order to stay in our area so these new houses are a necessity in order to get more families into our area to support our school and wider community.
“The new surgery has long been overdue. The possibility of businesses being able to set up in one of the units means the potential for new jobs for young and old and hopefully a boost to our local economy.”
Planning for the development was approved by Highland Council in March 2018.
The trust is hopeful that the new housing will help increase the community’s long term sustainability, and will improve its falling population which experienced a 6.6% drop from 2009 to 2013, dropping from 608 residents to 568.
