Highlands And Islands Enterprise

A major fund to create low-carbon heating infrastructure is now open for applications.

Outer Hebrides communities now have access to new full fibre broadband networks. Each of the 113 households in Grimsay, an island roughly three miles long and half again in width, joined to North Uist and Benbecula by a causeway, is now able to access reliable ultrafast broadband. Subsequently, 65%

Image credit: Tim Winterburn Efforts to attract and retain young people in the Highlands and Islands may be starting to have a positive effect, according to a new report.

A new renewable energy system on Fair Isle will go live today as the community celebrates reliable 24 hours power for the first time. The new island wide high voltage network is being delivered by an innovative renewables system combining three turbines, a ground mounted solar system and a battery s

Orkney Islands Council is seeking views for its draft 'Empty Homes Strategy 2018-2023', which aims to sets out the ways in which the council can help Orkney's empty home owners to bring their properties back into use. Orkney currently has 303 potential homes currently classed as empty, representing

More fibre broadband has gone live across the Highlands and Islands thanks to the £428 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband roll-out. More than 800,000 premises across Scotland can now receive fibre broadband through the programme, with the technology going live in places like Lairg, Melvic

Housing on the Orkney island of Stronsay Housing has a crucial role in supporting sustainable and inclusive economic and community development and population growth in all parts of the Highlands and Islands, according to a new report.

A former schoolhouse in the Highlands that has lain empty for over five years has been transformed into two affordable dwellings thanks to an innovative funding package secured by the Coigach Community Development Company and The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCHT). Set in the remote c

The level of income required to afford a socially acceptable standard of living and to participate in society is ten to thirty per cent more expensive in remote rural Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, a new study has found. The report on Minimum Income Standard for Remote Rural Scotland 2016, publi

Aileen McLeod A £10 million annual fund to help communities buy the land they live and work on has been announced by the Scottish Government as the Land Reform Bill reaches its final stage of the parliamentary process.

New affordable homes could be built in the centre of Fort William after the Highland Council agreed a deal to buy surplus land from Tesco. The local authority purchased a site surplus to the supermarket’s requirements in Fort William for £2 million to make provision for a new hospital for NHS Hig

The Shetland Islands may have to resort to using barges and ships as homes unless measures are taken to address a serious shortfall in workers’ accommodation, an official report has warned. A new report commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) forecasts that recent pressures on worke

Rachael McCormack The significant size and impact of Scotland’s social enterprise businesses is being revealed for the very first time, with the launch of the results of a large-scale census.

John Swinney MSP Almost £18 million of funding is being made available to accelerate high speed broadband roll-out for Scotland’s rural communities.

Good access to housing has been cited as one of the top five reasons young people would choose to stay in the Highlands and Islands. A new report on the recent Young people and the Highlands and Islands: Attitudes and aspirations study commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has been