Affordable housing development opens on Colonsay amid long-running housing pressures.
A new affordable housing development on the Isle of Colonsay has officially opened, marking a milestone in a years-long effort to tackle the island’s acute housing shortage. The project was delivered through a partnership between Colonsay Community Development Company (CCDC), Mowi Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and the Scottish Government.
Local MSP Jenni Minto opened the development at a ceremony attended by project partners and island residents, describing it as “a real example of communities and organisations working together to make great things happen.”
The first phase of the project includes two homes for low-cost ownership, four homes for affordable rent—three of which will house Mowi staff—and three discounted serviced plots for self-build. The housing mix is intended to offer flexibility and support for both long-term residents and essential workers.
Mowi, which has operated a salmon farm on Colonsay since 2015, was the principal funder for the groundworks and contributed to three housing units for staff. The development is part of a broader effort by the company to address recruitment and retention challenges in remote communities where accommodation is limited.
More than 40 per cent of Colonsay’s housing stock is made up of second homes or holiday lets, leaving many younger residents unable to remain or return to the island. The issue has raised long-standing concerns about the viability of the island’s year-round community and economy.
Land for the development was acquired by CCDC in 2020 following an eight-year effort to secure suitable sites. Additional funding was obtained from multiple public bodies, including Argyll and Bute Council and the Communities Housing Trust.
Callum Hay, director of CCDC, credited the collaboration between local and external partners for bringing the project to completion. “There is a real pride in what’s been achieved here,” he said.
Following the opening ceremony, guests took part in a community lunch and a beach clean, underscoring the focus on environmental stewardship and community cohesion that shaped the project.