With assistance from the Scottish Land Fund and HIE, Carloway Community Association took ownership of the former Carloway School in May 2017. The entire site, including the Community Hall, is now in community ownership.
Since 2017, CCA has been busy consulting the community, planning and fundraising. In March 2021,thanks to increased contributions from the Scottish Government and CNES, we secured a funding package of just over £1 million to redevelop of the former school buildings and the existing community centre to provide much needed community facilities.
The £1 million redevelopment is set to get underway in late June 2021 with local firm Lewis Builders Ltd having been awarded the contract. The work is expected to take 9 months.
Getting to this point has been a very challenging and lengthy process involving several rounds of cost-cutting exercises and redesigns to try and make our project a reality.
However, the redevelopment will ensure that the 140-year-old building will be a modern, fit for purpose building for generations to come. Plans include a community shop, a commercial kitchen adjacent to a refurbished hall, new office and meeting space along with a permanent home for Comann Eachdraidh Chàrlabhaigh and Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh.
Project funders include Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Scottish Government (Regeneration Fund), Highlands and Islands Enterprise, The Scottish Landfill Community Fund, The Robertson Trust, and Western Isles Development Trust. Tighean Innse Gall are providing project management services and Anderson Associates are heading up the design team.
A hugely successful Crowdfunding campaign last month and ongoing local fundraising efforts means that the local community are contributing £30,000 to the overall costs of the project.
To download the site plans and drawings click here Plans
Support us