Balfour Beatty and SSEN Transmission are hosting a second public consultation event to gather local feedback on proposals for a temporary workforce accommodation village in Stornoway.

The facility is required to house staff delivering the critical Lewis Hub project, a key element of the Western Isles High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Link.

The Lewis Hub project, for which SSEN Transmission submitted a planning application in March, comprises an HVDC Converter Station and an Alternating Current (AC) substation at Arnish Moor. The overall Western Isles link is essential for improving local network reliability while supporting national clean energy and energy security ambitions.

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The second consultation, which follows initial feedback received in September, will be held on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, from 3pm to 7pm at the Caladh Inn in James Street, Stornoway. Teams from both Balfour Beatty and SSEN Transmission will be present to detail the draft proposals and explain how the temporary village will be managed.

George Young, Director of Operations from Balfour Beatty, confirmed the companies have adapted their plans based on community input. "We have listened to the comments made in the first round of consultation and are keen to present our plans for temporary worker accommodation in Stornoway and our response to the concerns raised," he said.

Callum Wardrop, SSEN Transmission's Project Director for the Lewis Hub, stressed the effort to minimise disruption. He noted that the proposed temporary workers' village will help the contractor meet its accommodation needs while simultaneously minimising impact on local housing supply and vital hotel spaces used by the tourism sector.

Mr Wardrop added that SSEN Transmission is actively exploring other opportunities to support workforce accommodation, alongside their commitment to deliver 1,000 new homes across the north of Scotland as part of their wider infrastructure investment plans.