Council To Take Over Responsibility For Islands' Harbour

The Highland Council has agreed in principal to take over the role of Harbour Authority for the Isle of Rum making it responsible for all operations and future maintenance.

Scottish Natural Heritage had approached the Council requesting that it adopt the marine terminals on the Island of Rum and become the Harbour Authority for Loch Scresort, the Sea Loch where the terminals are located.

The Isle of Rum is the largest of the four Small Isles and is located off the West Coast near Mallaig.  The Highland Council already manages the harbour facilities at the neighbouring Islands of Eigg and Muck.  In recent years new harbour facilities have been constructed on all four Islands.

Members of the TECS Committee have given the go-ahead for the transfer process to begin with all costs being covered by SNH.  Discussions about the transfer of assets will continue and be the subject of a further report to the Committee.