Crown Estate funds suggested for ‘all singing, all dancing’ campsite

The condition of Sea Road could hinder plans for a campsite, councillors said. 

A multimillion pound grant scheme could help fund proposals for an  “all singing, all dancing” campsite, community leaders have suggested. 

Lerwick Community Council made renewed calls for a campsite near the Ness of Sound during discussions over possible projects to benefit from the latest round of Crown Estate funding. 

The meeting had already heard suggestions to create a motorhome park near to the new Anderson High School site. 

Councillor Andy Carter, who raised the motorhome suggestion, said that while the AHS site was not suitable for a fully fledged campsite, the Ness of Sound was “absolutely ideal”.

He said it could host an “all singing, all dancing, fully facilitated campsite”.

“ln fact, this summer I’ve seen camper vans parked there already, sort of pre-empting it,” he added.

Vice-chairman Gary Robinson said the Crown Estate scheme, which has so far provided more than £2,300,000 to Shetland projects, could be he “vehicle” to get the project going. 

He said the suggestion had been raised previously but lost interest around the time the new Eric Gray Resource Centre was built nearby. 

“If there’s ambition for a campsite, this might be a potential route towards delivering it,” he added. 

Despite support for the plans, several councillors highlighted concerns with the state of Sea Road, which leads to the site.

Mr Carter said the road conditions were “prohibitive at the moment”,

“It’s not feasible,” he added.

“That was the big draw back for the site.”

Mr Carter highlighted the recent VisitScotland grant of more than £250,000, which was awarded to Scalloway Camping, Caravan and Motorhome project at Asta.

He questioned whether similar sums may be available for the Ness of Sound project.

The Crown Estate fund, which is administered by the SIC, is intended to “mobilise change and deliver positive outcomes” for Shetland. 

According to the SIC, it seeks to support the development of communities by investing in infrastructure, developing community assets and encouraging inclusive growth.

The scheme can provide grants from £10,000 to £100,000.

Mr Carter had also suggested the funds might be support long-running plans to tidy up the area around the Sletts.

“It looks fairly untidy,” he said. 

“It could stand a wee bit of development, one way or another, to tidy it up and make it a more pleasant place to be, rather than as a kind of afterthought, which it looks like at the moment. 

He suggested the fund might oil some wheels and get things moving,

Chairman Jim Anderson said any projects would have to comply with the fund criteria.