Landscape Statement – Vision

The Isle of Canna Infastructure Projects includes a visitor hub and renewal energy development.

Watch the Isle of Canna Community Development Trust explain the Canna Infrastructure projects here

The Hub aimed to deliver modern, accessible visitor facilities to the Isle of Canna, without detracting from the landscape cherished by locals and visitors. The facility would also protect this landscape, by adding solar panels to the islands existing renewable sources of energy, and by reducing the negative impact of wild toileting on the island due to lack of facilities. By providing accessible facilities close to the pier, it opened up access to the island for enjoyment and wellbeing to a wider variety of visitors.

CREEL (Canna Renewable Energy Electric Ltd) was set up in 2018 and is a community-run enterprise delivering sustainable, green energy to the Isle of Canna. The system presently consists of 6 wind turbines, 4 solar arrays and a battery bank as the main supply of energy with a diesel generator as back up when necessary

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How does this project deliver the principles of the charter?

1. Collaboration

The project was delivered by the Canna Partnership, through which the IoCCDT and NTS work together to preserve a landscape and culture for future generations. The island community identified a need for the facility, and IoCCDT sought and were awarded funding. The funders then agreed that this could be transferred to NTS, who used their project experience to manage the project to delivery. NTS also provided the land as an in kind contribution, as well as contributing additional funding.

CREEL is community run but required collaboration with funders and supporters to enable it to be established. Funding was secured from Big Lottery Fund, SSE Sustainable Development Fund, HIE and Local Energy Scotland. The project was supported by Community Energy Scotland, NTS, Mallaig Harbour Authority, Milligan Transport. Engineers and Equipment were supplied by: Wind & Sun Ltd, SD Wind and Dieselec Thistle

Although growing, the population of Canna is small in number, and it requires a whole team effort to run CREEL whether it is the person who sends out the invoices to the maintenance team who look after the system to those who attend monthly energy meetings to look at ways to improve. Working together in this way promotes a stronger sense of community and common goals to work towards.

2. Dynamism

The Canna Partnership recognised the changes that had occurred on Canna, with an ever increasing number of visitors meaning existing facilities were no longer fit for purpose. There was also a need for better support for the community, delivered by the project in the form of a dedicated NHS consulting room in the new Hub building. The project was developed sensitively, with archaeological surveys undertaken, but mindful of the need to provide facilities near the already developed harbour location. The building was also designed to sit sensitively in the landscape, and to contribute a reduction in carbon emissions with solar panels sited on the roof.

By providing the facilities at the visitor hub, it is hoped to encourage visitors to stay on the island for longer – moving away from island bagging/ short visits and moving towards longer stays, more engaged visitors, sustainable tourism and the concept of temporary locals.

3. Diversity

The project will contribute to diversity on Canna by protecting wilder areas through dedicated visitor facilities. The building also provides a permanent base for the NTS ranger who lives on the island, allowing them to greet visitors on arrival and explain the local flora and fauna and how they should be treated sensitively, and to deliver guided walks. By providing accessible facilities at the point of arrival to the island, it also allows a more diverse range of visitors to experience the island.

The Visitor Hub will be part of Canna’s community owned/run facilities offered along with the shop/moorings, and registered with SCOTO (Scottish Tourism Tourism). Canna being a member of SCOTO, all of these facilities will be added to the Belocal map https://www.belocal.scot/map/

The renewables system is also a point of interest for our many visitors, so it serves as a way to engage with the public about the benefits of renewable energy. The sites for the renewables are discreet within the landscape with PV arrays sited behind buildings and on the roofs of buildings. The wind turbines are sited behind a rocky outcrop and are only 15m tall which limits the visual impact on the landscape.

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What's Next

Use of the facility and the impact on the island will be monitored, and changes considered where suitable and practical. A separate project is planned to consider sensitive interpretation at key points for visitors, which will likely tie back to an overarching piece of interpretation including a map to be sited at the hub.

More about this project

Image Credits:

Isle of Canna Community Development Trust and NTS