Skye Members of The Highland Council visited the Island of Raasay earlier this week to inspect progress on the Council's biggest current construction contract – a new £12 million ferry terminal to link the island with Sconser, Skye.

The terminal is being built at Churchton Bay and will provide a sheltered roll on roll off facility for the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry, Loch Striven, and overnight berthage.

Work began in March, last year, and has been continuing on a 24-hour daily basis through the summer months by contractor Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd. Their workforce of 60 has increased the island population by 40%.

The new terminal is two kilometres from the existing terminal at Suisnish, which was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century for the transportation of iron ore from Raasay.

In the early 1970s Suisnish was enhanced to provide a slipway and berthing structure for the introduction of a new Island Class ferry direct to Sconser rather than Portree. Suisnish pier has now reached the end of it’s life, and is in a very poor state of repair suffering from both corrosion of the precast concrete sections and accelerated low water corrosion of the sheet piles and does not provide the shelter that a modern day roll on/roll off ferry service requires.

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The pier is in such a poor state that contingency measures have been put in place to maintain the ferry service in case of collapse.

The new terminal is 150 meters long and will have a 40 metre dog leg to provide shelter. Councillors were told that good progress has been achieved on the casting of the underwater concrete foundations for the new pier structure, which is presently 70% complete. Placement of the pre-cast concrete "Lego Blocks" is also advancing with 40% in place and progressing seaward.

Drilling, blasting and dredging rock from the new inner harbour seabed is close to completion. Protective armouring work to the new terminal is progressing well, with regular deliveries of armour stone by sea from Kishorn Quarry.

Construction of a new 0.5km single track road serving the marine facility is progressing steadily.

Balfour Beatty is targeting the end of the year to complete the underwater elements of the project. However, this is subject to the vagaries of the upcoming autumn/winter weather.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, is delighted that the lifeline link between Skye and Raasay is being secured with such a major investment.

He said that the new ferry terminal will provide opportunities for Raasay to encourage visitors and improve the economy and sustainability of this remote island community.

(GK/KMcA)