Synergie have partnered with AHW to build a £4m Fair Isle Bird Observatory.

Designs have recently been submitted for planning approval with the Shetland Island Council with the aim of having both consents and funding in place by June 2009 to allow a summer start to the construction.

Demolition will involve recycling the old building elements as much as possible on the island with the remaining waste being removed by the barges, which will be used to bring in the building modules.

The new facility will be a modern, highly energy-efficient and eco-friendly place for visitors to stay, and for scientists and students to continue their long-term research on Fair Isle's migratory and resident birds.

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The construction period will last from the summer of 2009 into the spring of 2010, meaning that the facility would be closed for the first time ever for a full season.

The bird Observatory is arguably one of the foremost observatories in the world and relies on the visitors and member's donations for survival.

Roy Dennis, Chairman of FIBOT, and a former warden himself, said: "We are very excited that we can now start building a new Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, for visitors to this beautiful island, for our important studies on migration and seabirds, for researchers and for the Fair Isle community - our partners over 6 decades.

"We are extremely grateful for yesterday’s announcement by the Minister, Richard Lochhead, of our successful bid for SRDP funding, and also the earlier funding support from HIE, and the crucial funds promised last autumn by Shetland Islands Council, which allowed our appeal to go ahead."

David Russell, Director Synergie Scotland said: "As the migratory patterns of birds to the islands has reflected changes within the world climate it is very important that we deliver a sustainable building for this research to continue."

(GK/JM)