Uninhabited isles bought for new salmon farm sites
Sanda was on the market for £2.5m
- Published
Fish farming giant Mowi has bought two uninhabited islands off Scotland's west coast for the siting of new salmon farms.
Sanda Island, off the tip of the Kintyre peninsula, was on the market for £2.5m and has seven houses, a lighthouse and a tavern.
Mowi said it plans to install fish farms off Sanda's east coast and develop the island as a tourist destination.
It has also bought Fladda-Chuain, north of Skye, which according to the selling agents is mentioned in Irish mythology as the "Isle of Perpetual Youth" and where it is said to always be summer.
Over its history, Sanda was a stronghold for Clan MacDonald, Danes and Norwegians, and was later home to about 40 islanders with a school for their children.
It has been uninhabited for a number of years, but continued to be a visitor destination mainly due to its large numbers of seabirds.
The island's Byron Darnton Tavern was opened in 2003 and operated during summer months. It has accommodation for 38 people.
The sale of Sanda included two smaller neighbouring islands of Sheep and Glunimore.
Fladda-Chuain is a tiny rocky island off northern Skye.
It has the ruins of an early Christian chapel, and was visited by Vikings and an intricate 11th Century gold ring was found in 1851.
According to Irish legend, the sun never sets on Fladda-Chuain.
They are the only islands Mowi owns.
Sanda has a number of properties, including a farmhouse and cottages
Mowi employs 1,500 people in Scotland and has 48 farms producing more 68,000 tonnes of salmon annually.
The company said the Sanda fish farm would create 14 new jobs and the tourism development on the island a further 10 posts.
Ben Hadfield, Mowi's chief operating officer, said: "We have the opportunity to do something very special with Sanda Island.
"Our first priority now will be to consult with the communities of the area and develop a comprehensive biodiversity plan for the island.
"We will also undertake an environmental impact assessment for the proposed high energy salmon development."
Proposals are being developed for Fladda-Chuain.