Storr Decision Notice

The Highland Council has been working with the Staffin Community Trust towards significant visitor management improvements of the Council-owned site at the Storr, Isle of Skye for some time now.  It was envisaged that improvements could be delivered through an innovative approach to working in partnership, enabling both to deliver more together than either could achieve alone. 

Despite having refused the Trust’s Asset Transfer Request in its current form, the Council remain optimistic that a partnership approach can still deliver the substantial improvements required at the site and have extended an invitation to continue dialogue with the Trust towards a solution.

The Council’s reasons for deciding to refuse the request as submitted, are set out in the Decision Notice that is available on the Council website www.highland.gov.uk/cat.

Eilean a' Cheò Ward Members Cllrs Finlayson, Gordon, MacDonald and MacLeod have backed the decision taken by the Council’s Asset Management Project Board on the 5th September.

Speaking on behalf of the Ward Members, Chair, John Gordon said:  

“We are supportive of projects that help improve much needed infrastructure, for the benefit of local communities and improved visitor management.  In relation to the specific request at the Storr, however, Member support would require guarantees that this is delivered through a mechanism that does not separate any Council capital investment and revenue generation from the responsibility of the management and maintenance of the Council owned site in its entirety.  Members would also require that it protects the wider public benefit and interest in perpetuity and protects the Council’s financial interests.”

Members hope that a solution can be found that protects and enhances the natural heritage assets at this nationally important site while supporting economic benefits for the Ward and beyond.