Scotland’s largest independent salmon farming company has submitted a planning application to council officials in the Western Isles to build a new £5m factory at Arnish, south of Stornoway.
Lighthouse Caledonia plans to build the state-of-the-art facility in 2010, bringing up to 100 jobs to the region. The creation of these jobs will make Lighthouse Caledonia the biggest private sector employer in the Outer Hebrides.
The move follows news that Lighthouse Caledonia has secured the ownership of its farms at Loch Seaforth. The sites produce 2,500 tonnes in an 18-month cycle. This, combined with other proposed sites including Toa Tolsta at Broad Bay, will be enough to sustain year-round production and employment in the area and justify the opening of a new factory.
In December last year, when the company was under different ownership, Lighthouse Caledonia was forced to close its Stornoway processing plant with the loss of 130 jobs. Lighthouse Caledonia’s chairman Jim Mullins said: 'The submission of this planning application represents a significant turning point and we can now move forward to build our business in the Hebrides.'
The planning application, which was submitted to Western Isles Council on Wednesday November 4, outlines gutting and filleting facilities. The 7,000 sq m factory will be able to process up to 15,000 tonnes of fish per annum and the first planned phase will be approximately 3,500 sq m, producing 5,000 tonnes of high-quality fillets annually.
The new factory will also be one of a very few globally that can fillet the salmon immediately after fish have been harvested, guaranteeing a premium quality and extending the shelf life.
Mr Mullins added: 'We want to make this a local business which benefits the local community. I understand the closure of the old factory while it was controlled by its previous owners will have had a profound effect on many people, but hopefully we can now inject some hope and optimism into the local economy.'
Angus MacNeil, MP for Na h-Eileanan an lar (Western Isles), said: 'This is wonderful news from Lighthouse Caledonia and terrific news for the Western Isles. This is a serious company with ambition and vision for Scottish produce. I have met with the company on numerous occasions, the last as recently as last week, to ensure that everything is done to bring these jobs to the isles.
'This investment is a real vote of confidence in our community and our environment and the company's decision underlines the local workforce's reputation for excellence.
'The company, I know, now has a tight time schedule to get these processing jobs up and running for next summer, which has been their ambition for a while. Therefore, it is incumbent on all public bodies to ensure they help Lighthouse Caledonia achieve that aim.”
Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an lar (Western Isles), said: 'Everyone felt the loss of the fish processing jobs at Marybank. I welcome the commitment of Lighthouse Caledonia to developing jobs in the sector in the future, and have written in support of their planning application for developing Arnish Point. While these plans are at a relatively early stage, I am strongly supportive of all efforts to bring this kind of work to the islands.'
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