Our Vision for Creag Ruadh
Back in 2019 an options appraisal looked at a 6Ha site next to our Fire Station in Achiltibuie. The 2006 Local Plan showed this area as zoned for development.
The area was identified as relatively flat which would allow for a variety of housing options including self build. Services are nearby with the water main running through the area and the power line is metres from the boundary. There is quite a lot of it is peat within the boundary, but the area towards the road is harder.
The area comes under the Badentarbet Special Common Grazing which is an unregulated grazing i.e. there is no formal committee. There are an unknown number of shareholders.
The landowner was historically not that supportive of community development and so shareholders at the time discussed complicated mechanisms involving individual shareholders applying for apportionments and then making a Crofters Right To Buy application from the landowner.
There was also the possibility of using Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. A rarely invoked provision allowing a properly constituted crofting community body to purchase eligible land, even in the face of opposition from the owner of that land. The suitability of proceeding with this also depends on whether there is any alternative – if there is, the alternative must be at least have been attempted.
The landowner is of course, now CCDC, which gives the community an opportunity to seriously look at this site as having potential to meet many of the community’s needs.
What are the needs?
The Communities Housing Trust carried out a housing needs survey in 2019. It found six principle housing needs:
- Affordable self build plots
- Smaller, accessible homes
- Affordable home ownership
- Affordable rented housing
- Larger family homes
- Improvements to existing homes
Duncan Macpherson led some more indepth consultation work in 2025/26, speaking to shareholders, and members of the wider community, and confirmed that the community needs:
- Self build housing plot sales
- Large scale /phased housing expansion
- Combined housing + business space development
- Housing via communities housing trust
- Housing via Housing association
- Housing linked to incoming workers
- CCDC – led affordable housing development
- Crofts linked to housing development
- Housing linked to incoming workers
- Shared office space
- Business unit development
On the 1st of July 2026 we presented Duncan’s preliminary findings to a group of around 30 attendees, who were supportive of the general direction being to resume a portion of the Badentarbat Special Grazings for a mixed development of housing, business space and recreation including woodland creation, paths and trails.
Last week, on the 22nd of September we hosted a drop in event at the hall, inviting residents and shareholders to give their views.
Above: Attendees at the Drop In voted for projects they thought were important and could be delivered on the site.
Many attendees were supportive of the ideas already floated, whilst some also asked for a more cautious approach:
- We need to make sure that shareholders in the grazings are happy with the ideas and provide proper compensation for loss of grazings
- Development needs to be sensitive to our heritage
- There needs to be a proper assessment of peat depth and environmental impacts
- The road and other infrastructure need to be able to handle an increased population
The CCDC team absolutely agree with these cautions, and will be seeking expert advice and support to identify all the many considerations such an ambitious project might bring.
We recognise we can’t do this alone, and will have to seek partnerships with NHS Highland, Highland Council, Highlands and Island Enterprise, funders and investors, other communities and organisations, and of course policy support.
Pros:
- Extent of area could potentially allow for multi partner development, meeting housing, business and recreational needs
- Services close by
- Flat site
- Close to amenities
- Good visibility splays
- Community landowner
- Already in the Local Place Plan (developed by Coigach Community Council)
Cons:
- Very ambitious and expensive project
- Land in use as common grazings
- Pressure on existing infrastructure
This is a conversation that will continue for the next few years. If we do decide this project is what the community needs and can be delivered, then CCDC can work on a resumption, which as many know is not a fast process!
Please keep sharing your views and ideas.
Many thanks also to Kevin Macleod, who reminded us that we can stop calling the site ‘Badentarbat Special Grazings’ and go back to “Creag Ruadh” which is what that patch of ground has been known as until we started thinking about a resumption! The special grazings themselves extend much further to the North and East. So from now on, Creag Ruadh it is!