North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme secures support

Orkney Islands Council has been allocated an ‘earmarked grant’ of £3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme.

The scheme aims to raise awareness of, and conserve and enhance the distinct identities of Orkney’s North Isles through the delivery of a number of projects.

This could include the conservation of key buildings, making resources available to communities for managing their cultural and natural heritage and developing new skills for the future.

The aspiration is to make heritage more accessible, encouraging the involvement of young people and the sharing of heritage between generations.

The scheme will build on the success of the award winning Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership Scheme which ran between 2009 – 2012 and will be delivered by a partnership of the Orkney Islands Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage and Orkney College.

If the full funding is secured the scheme will run between 2018 and 2023.

The scheme would cover 269 square kilometres to the north of the mainland of Orkney, encompassing Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre, Shapinsay, Eday, Stronsay, Sanday, Westray, Papa Westray, North Ronaldsay, Gairsay and Auskerry as well as 11 uninhabited islands.