In the last 5 years we have…
(updated May 2024)
- Opened An Laimhrig – doubling the original building’s footprint and adding new facilities and services including business units, a shower block, and laundry. An Laimhrig has an EPC rating of A+ through improved energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy for all its electricity and heating. An Laimhrig supports 29 jobs in the 17 community and private businesses that are based there and many more across the island. It is a social, as well as a business hub, and Eigg’s gateway building we share with 1000s visitors to our community-owned island each year.
- Expanded Eigg Electric – adding 120kW of photovoltaic solar to increase our total generation from sun, wind, and hydro to 280kW. We also upgraded our storage and distribution infrastructure. This will enable us to double the generation capacity again within three years, supporting new house building, population, and business growth. By 2030, renewable energy will replace all fossil fuels, enabling zero-emission heating and cooking, the use of electric vehicles, and achieving our target of carbon net zero.
- Fully paid off Eigg Electric’s Triodos loan of £100,000
- Leased our first business site to Isle of Eigg Brewery. Built to create handcrafted beer for social and environmental good, the brewery raised £195,000 from over 600 investors in 6 weeks.
- Developed a community-led housing project to create two new homes for social rent at the old Eigg surgery building and secured funding to deliver serviced sites ready for their construction. Agreed on a design that incorporates Eigg’s first heat pump as a demonstration project. Acquired planning and building warrant. Funding to begin construction is still to be secured.
- Achieved design, QS costs, and planning for conversion of single space Smiddy Bothy to a one-bedroom house for rent. Funding to begin conversion is still to be secured.
- In 2019 we harvested 3,300 tons of timber, selling 70% to fund 100% of harvesting costs. The 30% provided 4 years of firewood and Eigg’s community wood-fuel business increased its sales by 210%. We’ve just completed a second phase, harvesting 1,000 tons to retain as firewood.
- Improved the three community-owned camping pods at An Laimhrig, growing turnover by 270% and generating more business for Galmisdale Bay Café and Bar and Eigg Shop.
- Taken over the ownership and operation of Eigg’s “old pier” from the Highland Council.
- Started Eigg Tree Nursery, which now grows 20,000 trees per annum from locally harvested seed. 50% are used to restock harvested areas and create new woodland on Eigg, and the balance is sold retail and wholesale, off-Eigg.
- Sold Sandamhor Bothy under a rural housing burden. The building is being restored as a permanent home. The sale proceeds are being used to improve Eigg’s social housing stock.
- Committed to the principles of the Fair Work Convention with support from HIE.
- Appointed a Warm Homes officer to deliver a programme that reduces the number of households in fuel poverty on Eigg by 32% by improving energy efficiency, quality, and choice of housing; decarbonising heating by trialling heat pumps in community housing; growing the wood fuel and tree nursery businesses and supporting Fair Work.
- Worked with network providers and government to install the Emergency Services Network in 2019 and the Shared Rural Network in 2023/24. The SRN contract included a contribution to Eigg Electric, enabling the expansion of the renewable grid of which they are now a customer.
- Commissioned an island interpretation strategy to enable the shared delivery of natural and cultural heritage interpretation across Eigg.
- Installed a community composter to compost food waste from An Laimhrig businesses and island households who can’t compost at home.
- Currently working with UHI to deliver Eigg at 27, a community survey and consultation to review the ambitions, economic and social data collected in 2018 for Eigg at 20, and asks about our community’s aspirations, individual household, and business needs for the future.
What’s Next?
- Build two new homes for rent at the Eigg surgery site. Capital funding to be secured.
- Convert Smiddy Bothy. Capital funding to be secured.
- Secure revenue funds to support the Business Development Manager and Officer roles.
- Consolidate the work of the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust and its three trading subsidiaries. Focus on developing new income streams and streamlining processes to maximise capacity, resources, and assets.
- Complete the children’s play area, landscaping, and waste management area at An Laimhrig. Capital funding to be secured.
- Deliver Phase 3 of the Eigg Electric expansion with the addition of three x 100kW wind turbines, enabling more homes and businesses to be built and Eigg to reach carbon net zero by 2030. Capital funding to be secured.
- Review Eigg’s Long Term Forest Plan in 2027 and secure approval for the next ten years.
- Collaborate with Eigg’s crofters to deliver the recommendations of the Eigg Crofting Development Plan, completed in 2024.
- Improve Volunteer House for Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust and Scottish Wildlife Trust volunteers. Capital funding to be secured.
- Complete upgrade of the current ten Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust homes for rent to EPC rating C. Balance of capital funding to be secured. (Currently 2@F, 3@E, 4@D, and 1@C)
- Develop an improved annual maintenance programme for our asset portfolio.
- Work in partnership with the Highland Council to deliver a better waste management service.
- Implement our Fair Work framework.
- Deliver the island-wide interpretation plan. Funding package to be secured.
- Relaunch the Isle of Eigg website.
- Work with neighbouring communities through the Small Isles and Knoydart Development Group to develop mutually beneficial collaborative projects, such as the Small Isles Maintenance Partnership.
We need your …
Support: financial or in-kind
Advocacy: please tell others about our work (just ask if you need more info)
Expertise: from technical advice to business modelling, HR to PR, environmental impact to building maintenance, and more.
Our Funders and Supporters
Thank you to:
The Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, The Highland Council, SSE Sustainable Development Fund, Centrica Energy for Tomorrow, Local Energy Scotland, King Charles III Charitable Fund, The Pebble Trust.