Ardtornish Estate - Development of Existing Housing Stock

Ardtornish has been doing considerable work redeveloping their existing housing stock. Hugh Raven, of Ardtornish Estate has provided the following update on their progress:

“I am pleased to say that work is underway at the Old Post Office – not, unfortunately, converting it for local affordable use (as the quotes we got from contractors were astronomical and uneconomic). Ardtornish is intending to use it ourselves. We often need accommodation for contractors and also have a growing research partnership with the University Of Edinburgh, which includes masters and other postgraduate students doing fieldwork in Morvern, who need accommodation. We plan for it to be back in use in the spring.

West Pier House is still being used for staff housing. We intended it to become a self-catering property (discussed with the local authority, which has no objection). But we need it ourselves to accommodate new members of a slightly increasing workforce. This may change next year.

We had hoped to be able to bring the little-used semi-detached house at Acharn back into use this year – but again, the cost has been prohibitive. So we plan to do it next year. We need it, but cash shortages preclude it for the time being.  

Of the three Ardtornish houses at Larachbeg, two are currently in use and one requires an electrical upgrade – which we intend to complete this spring. Then all will be occupied.

All other houses at Ardtornish are occupied, with the exception of Uileann and Alltachonaich (the houses in the upper white glen). The latter is a bothy that hasn’t been occupied for decades (I think, apart from one short period, since before the war), and requires very large spending to make it habitable. Uileann House too will require several hundred thousand pounds to make it reach current housing standards. The bothies at Inninmore, Eignaig, Tearnait and Crosben are all regularly used as bothies.

Unless and until our hydro rates crisis is resolved – we have been invoiced for over £700,000 by Highland Council this year in non-domestic rates for our hydro schemes alone, making us almost certainly the highest-rate payer, proportionate to business size, in all Scotland – funds will remain short, so a resolution in the case of these two houses, Uileann and Alltachonaich, is some way off.”