DOCSLIB.ORG

Environment and Protective Services Committee: 22 September 2015

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Environment and Protective Services Committee: 22 September 2015 ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE: 22 SEPTEMBER 2015 15/00076/MIN – PLANNING APPLICATION FOR SAND EXTRACTION FROM VALLAY ISLAND, CLADDACH VALLAY, SOLLAS, ISLE OF NORTH UIST Report by Director of Development PURPOSE OF REPORT This application was considered by the June meeting of this committee when it was agreed that consideration of the application be deferred to the next scheduled meeting of the Committee to enable an analysis of the sand concerned to be submitted by the applicant to inform consideration of the application. Since this is the next scheduled meeting the application is presented to the Committee for further consideration. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendation being implemented. SUMMARY 2.1 This Report relates to a Planning Application to extract 5000 tonnes (c. 3,030m³) of sand, over a period of ten years, from a 1.4 hectare site within a high dune system in the north east area of the uninhabited Island of Vallay, Isle of North Uist. 2.2 Determination of this application was deferred at the 16 June meeting of this Committee to allow submission of an analysis of the sand from the proposed extraction site. 2.3 On 17 August the applicant submitted a sand analysis undertaken by Celtest of North Wales. This was also emailed by the applicant’s agent to Members. 2.4 The analysis showed that the sand met all relevant standards for mortar and plastering works. 2.5 The analysis did not, however, make any assessment of whether the sand from Vallay was in some way superior to that of the approved sand extraction site at Balemartin. Previous analyses by the British Geological Survey and for the Scottish Agricultural College have suggested that the Balemartin sand is also suitable for a range of uses including mortar and plastering works. 2.6 The applicant’s agent has suggested that a comparative analysis can only be attained fairly if both sand sources are tested with the same rigour. As this has not been undertaken by the applicant, enquiries have been made with Celtest to ascertain what the terms would be for subjecting Balemartin sand to the same tests. An update on this will be reported verbally to the Committee. RECOMMENDATION 3.1 It is recommended that determination of the application be deferred until an analysis of Balemartin sand to comparable standards to that undertaken on sand from the application site on Vallay has been received. Contact Officer Alastair Banks Telephone: 01870 604990, Email: [email protected] Appendix 1 Report to 16 June meeting of the Environment and Protective Services Committee APPENDIX 1 ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE: 16 JUNE 2015 15/00076/MIN – PLANNING APPLICATION FOR SAND EXTRACTION FROM VALLAY ISLAND, CLADDACH VALLAY, SOLLAS, ISLE OF NORTH UIST Report by Director of Development PURPOSE OF REPORT Since the application is considered by the Appointed Officer to be sensitive the planning application is presented to the Committee for a decision. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendation being implemented. SUMMARY 2.7 This Report relates to a Planning Application to extract 5000 tonnes (c. 3,030m³) of sand, over a period of ten years, from a 1.4 hectare site within a high dune system in the north east area of the uninhabited Island of Vallay, Isle of North Uist. 2.8 The Outer Hebrides Local Development Plan (OHLDP) identifies in Policy 21 a landbank of permitted reserves to meet local needs for minerals and aggregate for the Plan period. Included within the identified reserves is a site is Balemartin, North Uist, a site with an extant planning permission for sand extraction with considerable unexploited reserves, sufficient to serve the needs of the local community for the foreseeable future. 2.9 An analysis of sand at Balemartin by the British Geological Survey (BGS) (labelled as Balelone by BGS) and the supporting statements in the BGS report indicate that the sand is of a quality suitable for a range of use including building sand for rendering and mortaring. 2.10 The applicant has submitted statements by local building merchants in support of his planning application, which claim that the sand from Vallay Island has properties that make it more suitable for certain building works (rendering and mortaring in particular), than the sand from the consented site at Balemartin. However, in order to provide more substance to these statements, the applicant’s agent was asked to provide a sand analysis, which would enable an objective comparison of the proposed sand with that from the identified and consented site. The applicant has declined to provide this analysis and in its absence there is no basis for independent verification of the stated need. 2.11 Policy 21 states that “proposals for development outwith the sites listed will require to demonstrate that needs cannot be met from existing consented sites and recycled sources; the extension of existing sites; and the reopening of dormant or old workings…”. The proposal fails to make such a demonstration, in particular because of the ample reserves of sand at the site in the Policy 21 list at Balemartin. 2.12 Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 requires that planning decisions be made in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The applicant’s failure to substantiate claims with objective scientific analysis suggests that there are no material considerations of sufficient weight that might justify a decision other than in accordance with the OHLDP. The application is therefore recommended for refusal. RECOMMENDATION 3.2 It is recommended that the application be REFUSED for the reasons shown in Appendix 1 to this Report. Contact Officer Alastair Banks Telephone: 01870 604990, Email: [email protected] Appendix 1 Schedule of Proposed Reason for Refusal 2 Location Plan Background Papers None DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL 4.1 It is proposed to extract 5000 tonnes (an estimated 3,030m³) of sand over a period of ten years from a 1.4 hectare site within a high dune system in the north east area of the uninhabited Island of Vallay. 4.2 The sand would be excavated by a tracked machine and transported from the island by a tractor and trailer. An average of two daily loads of over three tonnes would be taken off the island. A direct route would be taken from the sand pit directly to the south and joining an existing machair track which is used for general farm management. The sand would then be transported across Vallay Strand to Claddach Vallay where it would be loaded on to lorries. Timings would be dictated by the low tide, but are expected to take place between 8am and 5pm. Operations would take place throughout the year based on demand. 4.3 The application form says that “The proposed pit will not change the overall landscape of the area as there are already several large open sand dunes. Therefore no landscaping should be required. When the site is no longer used it will be covered with seaweed from the nearby shore. This will allow the natural regeneration of the site. The site will (then) be used for rough grazing of cattle.” 4.4 The proposal is within the class of Local development within the Planning Hierarchy. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS 5.1 The planning application by R.C. MacAulay Kirkibost Ltd, Whiteshore, Bayhead, North Uist HS6 5DY, was registered on 10 March 2015. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2011 6.1 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (The 2011 Regulations) apply to this proposal. 6.2 The proposed development is Schedule 2 Development – Categories 2 (Extractive industry) in terms of the 2011 Regulations. 6.3 Having assessed the characteristics and location of the development and the characteristics of the potential impact as set out in Schedule 3 to the 2011 Regulations, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on 4 February 2015 issued a Screening Opinion stating that in its opinion the proposed development is not considered likely to have a significant impact on the environment and that the submission of an Environmental Statement was not required. PREVIOUS PLANNING DECISIONS RELATING TO THE SITE 7.1 There are no relevant previous planning decisions which affect the site, but enforcement action in the form of an Enforcement Notice was taken in 2013 to stop the unlawful extraction of sand from Vallay. RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION 8.1 The full terms of the responses to statutory and other consultations by the Planning Authority can be read on file at the Development Department. The following is a summary of those relevant to the determination of the application. SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE (SNH) 8.2 “This proposal will have a likely significant effect on the Shifting dunes with marram and dune grassland features of the North Uist Machair Special Area of Conservation (SAC), however considering the scale of the loss in relation to the extent of these habitats throughout the site and the fact that the vegetation will be reinstated once extraction has ceased the proposal will not adversely affect the site integrity for these qualifying interests. The proposal also lies within North Uist Machair & Islands Special Protection Area (SPA) and Vallay Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), however it will not have a significant effect on designated features within these sites.” SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY (SEPA) 8.3 An initial objection on grounds of inadequate information on impact on groundwater ecosystems was withdrawn following submission of details from SNH. “SEPA has been provided with more information from SNH by way of their email which we received on 29 May 2015.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Towards a Sonic Methodology Cathy
    Island Studies Journal , Vol. 11, No. 2, 2016, pp. 343-358 Mapping the Outer Hebrides in sound: towards a sonic methodology Cathy Lane University of the Arts London, United Kingdom [email protected] ABSTRACT: Scottish Gaelic is still widely spoken in the Outer Hebrides, remote islands off the West Coast of Scotland, and the islands have a rich and distinctive cultural identity, as well as a complex history of settlement and migrations. Almost every geographical feature on the islands has a name which reflects this history and culture. This paper discusses research which uses sound and listening to investigate the relationship of the islands’ inhabitants, young and old, to placenames and the resonant histories which are enshrined in them and reveals them, in their spoken form, as dynamic mnemonics for complex webs of memories. I speculate on why this ‘place-speech’ might have arisen from specific aspects of Hebridean history and culture and how sound can offer a new way of understanding the relationship between people and island toponymies. Keywords: Gaelic, island, landscape, memory, Outer Hebrides, place-speech, sound © 2016 – Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada Introduction I am a composer, sound artist and academic. In my creative practice I compose concert works and gallery installations. My current practice focuses around sound-based investigations of a place or theme and uses a mixture of field recording, interview, spoken text and existing oral history archive recordings as material. I am interested in the semantic and the abstract sonic qualities of all this material and I use it to construct “docu-music” (Lane, 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • The Invertebrate Fauna of Dune and Machair Sites In
    INSTITUTE OF TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL) REPORT TO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL ON THE INVERTEBRATE FAUNA OF DUNE AND MACHAIR SITES IN SCOTLAND Vol I Introduction, Methods and Analysis of Data (63 maps, 21 figures, 15 tables, 10 appendices) NCC/NE RC Contract No. F3/03/62 ITE Project No. 469 Monks Wood Experimental Station Abbots Ripton Huntingdon Cambs September 1979 This report is an official document prepared under contract between the Nature Conservancy Council and the Natural Environment Research Council. It should not be quoted without permission from both the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology and the Nature Conservancy Council. (i) Contents CAPTIONS FOR MAPS, TABLES, FIGURES AND ArPENDICES 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 OBJECTIVES 2 3 METHODOLOGY 2 3.1 Invertebrate groups studied 3 3.2 Description of traps, siting and operating efficiency 4 3.3 Trapping period and number of collections 6 4 THE STATE OF KNOWL:DGE OF THE SCOTTISH SAND DUNE FAUNA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SURVEY 7 5 SYNOPSIS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE SAMPLING PERIODS 9 5.1 Outer Hebrides (1976) 9 5.2 North Coast (1976) 9 5.3 Moray Firth (1977) 10 5.4 East Coast (1976) 10 6. THE FAUNA AND ITS RANGE OF VARIATION 11 6.1 Introduction and methods of analysis 11 6.2 Ordinations of species/abundance data 11 G. Lepidoptera 12 6.4 Coleoptera:Carabidae 13 6.5 Coleoptera:Hydrophilidae to Scolytidae 14 6.6 Araneae 15 7 THE INDICATOR SPECIES ANALYSIS 17 7.1 Introduction 17 7.2 Lepidoptera 18 7.3 Coleoptera:Carabidae 19 7.4 Coleoptera:Hydrophilidae to Scolytidae
    [Show full text]
  • A FREE CULTURAL GUIDE Iseag 185 Mìle • 10 Island a Iles • S • 1 S • 2 M 0 Ei Rrie 85 Lea 2 Fe 1 Nan N • • Area 6 Causeways • 6 Cabhsi WELCOME
    A FREE CULTURAL GUIDE 185 Miles • 185 Mìl e • 1 0 I slan ds • 10 E ile an an WWW.HEBRIDEANWAY.CO.UK• 6 C au sew ays • 6 C abhsiarean • 2 Ferries • 2 Aiseag WELCOME A journey to the Outer Hebrides archipelago, will take you to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Stunning shell sand beaches fringed with machair, vast expanses of moorland, rugged hills, dramatic cliffs and surrounding seas all contain a rich biodiversity of flora, fauna and marine life. Together with a thriving Gaelic culture, this provides an inspiring island environment to live, study and work in, and a culturally rich place to explore as a visitor. The islands are privileged to be home to several award-winning contemporary Art Centres and Festivals, plus a creative trail of many smaller artist/maker run spaces. This publication aims to guide you to the galleries, shops and websites, where Art and Craft made in the Outer Hebrides can be enjoyed. En-route there are numerous sculptures, landmarks, historical and archaeological sites to visit. The guide documents some (but by no means all) of these contemplative places, which interact with the surrounding landscape, interpreting elements of island history and relationships with the natural environment. The Comhairle’s Heritage and Library Services are comprehensively detailed. Museum nan Eilean at Lews Castle in Stornoway, by special loan from the British Museum, is home to several of the Lewis Chessmen, one of the most significant archaeological finds in the UK. Throughout the islands a network of local historical societies, run by dedicated volunteers, hold a treasure trove of information, including photographs, oral histories, genealogies, croft histories and artefacts specific to their locality.
    [Show full text]
  • Iron Age Scotland: Scarf Panel Report
    Iron Age Scotland: ScARF Panel Report Images ©as noted in the text ScARF Summary Iron Age Panel Document September 2012 Iron Age Scotland: ScARF Panel Report Summary Iron Age Panel Report Fraser Hunter & Martin Carruthers (editors) With panel member contributions from Derek Alexander, Dave Cowley, Julia Cussans, Mairi Davies, Andrew Dunwell, Martin Goldberg, Strat Halliday, and Tessa Poller For contributions, images, feedback, critical comment and participation at workshops: Ian Armit, Julie Bond, David Breeze, Lindsey Büster, Ewan Campbell, Graeme Cavers, Anne Clarke, David Clarke, Murray Cook, Gemma Cruickshanks, John Cruse, Steve Dockrill, Jane Downes, Noel Fojut, Simon Gilmour, Dawn Gooney, Mark Hall, Dennis Harding, John Lawson, Stephanie Leith, Euan MacKie, Rod McCullagh, Dawn McLaren, Ann MacSween, Roger Mercer, Paul Murtagh, Brendan O’Connor, Rachel Pope, Rachel Reader, Tanja Romankiewicz, Daniel Sahlen, Niall Sharples, Gary Stratton, Richard Tipping, and Val Turner ii Iron Age Scotland: ScARF Panel Report Executive Summary Why research Iron Age Scotland? The Scottish Iron Age provides rich data of international quality to link into broader, European-wide research questions, such as that from wetlands and the well-preserved and deeply-stratified settlement sites of the Atlantic zone, from crannog sites and from burnt-down buildings. The nature of domestic architecture, the movement of people and resources, the spread of ideas and the impact of Rome are examples of topics that can be explored using Scottish evidence. The period is therefore important for understanding later prehistoric society, both in Scotland and across Europe. There is a long tradition of research on which to build, stretching back to antiquarian work, which represents a considerable archival resource.
    [Show full text]
  • Machair3.Pdf
    • • a a • • • • tr77- (2.12-2,) ' qAPt 511-h (2-5-2.). Frontispiece Photo. Machair Group Meeting, Outer Hebrides, July 1978(Photo: D.S. Ranwell). á Natural Environment Research Council Institute of Terrestrial Ecology Sand Dune Machair 3 Report on meeting in the Outer Hebrides 14-16th July 1978 Edited by D.S. Ranwell (1980) Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, University of East Anglia, Norwich Printed ir England by NERC Reprogriphic Section Swindon © 1981 Published in 1981 by Institute of Terrestrial Ecology 68 Hills Road Cambridge CB2 ILA Dr. D S Ranwell, School of Biological Scien6es, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ 0603 (Norwich) 56161 Cover Drawing by Sid Lewis ,The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) was established in 1973, from the former Nature Conservancy's research stations and staff, joined later by the Institute of Tree Biology and the Culture Centre of Algae and Protozoa. ITE contributes to and draws upon the collective knowledge of the fourteen sister institutes which Make up the Natural Environment Research Council, spanning all the environmental sciences. The Institute studies the factors determining the structure, composition and processes of land and fresh- water systems, and of individual plant and animal species. It is developing a sounder scientific basis for predicting and modelling environmental trends arising from natUral or man-made change. The results of this research are available to those responsible for the protection, management and wise use of our natural resources. Nearly half of ITE's work is research commissioned by customers, such as the Nature Conservancy Council who require information for wildlife conservation, the Department of Energy, the Department of the EnvironMent and the EEC.
    [Show full text]
  • The Western Isles of Lewis, Harris, Uists, Benbecula and Barra
    The Western Isles of Lewis, Harris, Uists, Benbecula and Barra 1 SEATREK is based in Uig on 5 UIG SANDS RESTAURANT is a newly Let the adventure begin! Lewis, one of the most beautiful opened licensed restaurant with spectacular locations in Britain. We offer views across the beach. Open for lunches unforgettable boat trips around and evening meals. Booking essential. the Hebrides. All welcome, relaxed atmosphere and family Try any of our trips for a great friendly. Timsgarry, Isle of Lewis HS2 9ET. family experience with the Tel: 01851 672334. opportunity of seeing seals, Email: [email protected] basking sharks, dolphins and www.uigsands.co.uk many species of birds. DOUNE BRAES HOTEL: A warm welcome awaits you. We especially 6 Leaving from Miavaig Seatrek RIB Short Trips cater for ‘The Hebridean Way’ for cyclists, walkers and motorcyclists. Harbour, Uig, Isle of Lewis. We have safe overnight storage for bicycles. We offer comfortable Tel: 01851 672469. Sea Eagles & Lagoon Trip .............................. 2 hours accommodation, light meals served through the day and our full www.seatrek.co.uk Island Excursion ................................................. 3 hours evening menu in the evening. Locally sourced produce including Email: [email protected] Customised Trips ............................................... 4 hours our own beef raised on our croft, shellfi sh and local lamb. There’s a Fishing Trip ........................................................... 2 hours Gallan Head Trip ................................................. 2 hours good selection of Malt Whiskies in the Lounge Bar or coffees to go Sea Stacks Trip ................................................... 2 hours whilst you explore the West Side of the Island. Tel: 01851 643252. Email: [email protected] www.doune-braes.co.uk 2 SEA LEWIS BOAT TRIPS: Explore the 7 BLUE PIG CREATIVE SPACE: coastline North and South of Stornoway Carloway’s unique working studio and in our 8.5m Rib.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Changes in Breeding Waders on Machair in North Uist and Benbecula and Their Associations with Vegetation and Landuse
    Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 411 Population changes in breeding waders on machair in North Uist and Benbecula and their associations with vegetation and landuse COMMISSIONED REPORT Commissioned Report No. 411 Population changes in breeding waders on machair in North Uist and Benbecula and their associations with vegetation and land use For further information on this report please contact: David Maclennan Scottish Natural Heritage 32 Francis Street Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2ND Telephone: 01851 705258 E-mail: [email protected] This report should be quoted as: Calladine, J., Pakeman, R., Humphreys, L., Huband, S. & Fuller, R. 2015. Population changes in breeding waders on machair in North Uist and Benbecula and their associations with vegetation and land use. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 411. This report, or any part of it, should not be reproduced without the permission of Scottish Natural Heritage. This permission will not be withheld unreasonably. The views expressed by the author(s) of this report should not be taken as the views and policies of Scottish Natural Heritage. © Scottish Natural Heritage 2015. COMMISSIONED REPORT Summary Population changes in breeding waders on machair in North Uist and Benbecula and their associations with vegetation and land use Commissioned Report No. 411 Project No: 1126 Contractor: British Trust for Ornithology and The James Hutton Institute Year of publication: 2015 Keywords Breeding waders; machair; hedgehog; vegetation; Uist; BTO; James Hutton Institute. Background The west coast habitats of the Uists are internationally important for their populations of breeding waders. Recent changes in numbers have been mainly linked with impacts of predation by hedgehogs which were introduced to South Uist in 1974.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Excavation of an Iron Age Wheelhouse and Earlier Structure at Eilean Maleit, North Uist Lan Armit* with Contribution Brab a Strachar Y B Sy& N
    Proc Antigc So Scot, (1998)8 12 , 255-271 Re-excavation of an Iron Age wheelhouse and earlier structure at Eilean Maleit, North Uist lan Armit* with contribution BrabA StrachaR y b sy& n ABSTRACT Excavations were tidal the carried isleton out settlement of Eilean Maleit, previously excavatedby Erskine Beveridge in the early part of this century, to test the hypothesis that the site represented a wheelhouse built into an earlier Atlantic roundhouse or broch. It is clear from the re-excavation that the wheelhouse indeed was into earlierset an massive-walled dry stone structure, probably Atlantican roundhouse but almost certainly not a classic broch tower. The denuded condition of this early structure when wheelhousethe builtwas suggests that significanta period of timehavemay elapsed between occupationstructures.the two the of Publication thisof work sponsoredis Historicby Scotland. INTRODUCTION Eilean Malei rocka s i t y tida soute l isleth Vallahn e o t sidth f eo y Strand (illus 1) vasa , t expanse of inter-tida lnort e sandth hn so coas Nortf o t h Uist (NCR 774F :N 8 7388, NMR7 S7 refF N : SE isle e 5) connectes i Th t. shor e substantiaa th y eo db t l stone causeway some 2m widd ean around 30 m long, and is accessible except at unusually high tides. The islet has an elevation of , somwitm ha steepe4 , rocky norther n onlna facyd slightlean y gentler southern approach (illu summi. Close remaine s2) th th Irowheelhous n e o ee t a li ntf Ag so cellulad ean r structures, partly cleared out and excavated by the antiquarian Erskine Beveridge in the early part of the 20th century (Beveridge 1911,207-9).
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Potential Social and Cultural Impact of a Reopened Skye Airport
    BAXTER, G., BLOICE, L. and GRAY, D. 2018. Report on the potential social and cultural impact of a reopened Skye Airport. SPARA 2020 Project: WP7 Additional Budget Deliverable. Report on the potential social and cultural impact of a reopened Skye Airport. BAXTER, G., BLOICE, L., GRAY, D. 2018 This document was downloaded from https://openair.rgu.ac.uk Report on the Potential Social and Cultural Impact of a Reopened Skye Airport SPARA 2020 Project WP7 Additional Budget Deliverable July 2018 Graeme Baxter, Lyndsay Bloice and David Gray Robert Gordon University Contents Page Executive summary 2 1. Introduction 6 2. Methodology 6 3. A brief history of civil aviation in Skye 10 4. Efforts to re -establish air passenger services to and from 18 Skye, since 1988 5. Defining social and cultural impact 24 6. Previous research into the social and cultural impact of 27 airports, particularly in remote, peripheral areas 7. The potential social and cultural impacts of a reopened 31 Skye Airport 7.1 “Lifeline services ”, accessibility, and connectivity 32 7.2 Education and learning 37 7.3 Health and well -being 39 7.4 Local s ocial networks and social capital 41 7.5 Social inclusion/exclusion 44 7.6 Community empowerment and development 46 7.7 Local identity and culture 50 8. Conclusions 53 References 56 1 Executive Summary Introduction This report presents the results of desk-based research conducted with part of the SPARA 2020 project’s additional budget allocation. This research, which is related closely to the work conducted as Activity 7.1 within Work Package 7, explored the potential social and cultural impact of the reintroduction of scheduled passenger services at the Broadford airfield on the Isle of Skye, where services ceased in 1988.
    [Show full text]
  • Outer Hebrides Outer Hebrides
    Scottish Natural Heritage Explore for a day Outer Hebrides Outer Hebrides Itinerary 1 Itinerary 2 Itinerary 3 Itinerary 4 Itinerary 5 Words will not do justice to the spectacular beauty, stunning wildlife and fascinating history of the Outer Hebrides. Explore the land of the machair – the low-lying fertile plain that fringes the west of these islands and is maintained by traditional crofting Symbol Key practices – providing some of the world’s finest flower-rich meadows, busy with wading birds. Parking Information Centre Cliffs covered in noisy seabirds, majestic eagles soaring high overhead and otters along the seaweed-fringed shore make your visit here special and memorable. Add to this mix, the vast peatlands of Lewis, the Paths Disabled Access presence of the sea in all its moods, the rocky coasts, stunning beaches of white sand and scattered crofting settlements strung out through Toilets Wildlife watching these islands and you have an unforgettable place. Find out more about the mysterious monuments of first settlers and the Refreshments Picnic Area traces of early Christianity in these isles. Encounter more modern stories of powerful clans, emigration, land struggles, the emergence of whaling, fishing and tweed industries and ships full of whisky running aground! Admission free unless otherwise stated. This leaflet gives you a flavour of the journey through the whole island chain from Barra to the Butt of Lewis and suggest places to visit along the way that will help you discover a little of what these islands at the very This leaflet was prepared with the assistance edge of Europe have to offer.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation 1939 – 1945
    Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation 1939 – 1945 Prepared by John Wilson from contemporary documents in the library of the Civil Aviation Authority Foreword Page 1 Chapter I 1939: Civil Aviation after the outbreak of War Page 4 Chapter II Empire and Trans-Oceanic Services Page 9 Appendix B Details of Services Operated During the Period, set out year by year Page 68 Appendix C Regular Air Services in British Empire Countries other than the United Kingdom, set out year by year Page 140 Note that names of companies and places are copied as they were typed in the UK on a standard typewriter. Therefore no accented letters were available, and they have not been added into this transcript. Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation 1939 - 1945 Foreword by John Wilson When in the 1980s I was trying to unravel the exact story surrounding a PBY aircraft called "Guba" and its wartime career in carrying airmails to and from West Africa, I came across a voluminous report [Ref.1] in the Civil Aviation Authority (C.A.A.) Library which gave me the answers to most, if not all, of my questions, and enabled me to write a short booklet [Ref.2] on the vicissitudes of trying to keep an airmail service running in wartime conditions. The information contained in the report was so comprehensive that I was able to use it to answer questions raised by other researchers, both philatelic and aeronautic, but my response to requests for "a copy" of the full document had to be negative because I was well aware of the perils of copyright law as applied at the time, and also aware of the sheer cost of reproduction (I still have the original invoice for the photocopying charges levied by the C.A.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Excavations of a Wheelhouse and Other Iron Age Structures at Sollas
    ProcSoc Antiq Scot,(1991)1 12 , 117-173, fiche 1:D1-3:F10 Excavations of a wheelhouse and other Iron Age structures at Sollas, North Uist, AtkinsoC J byR 195n ni 7 Ewan Campbell* with contribution Judity sb h Finla Juliay& n Henderson ABSTRACT The rescue excavations at Sollas, North Uist, in 1957 investigated a well-preserved Iron Age wheelhouse and a more ruinous circular building. Large quantities of decorated pottery were recovered from stratified contexts, enabling a sequence of forms and decorative motifs to be forward.put constructionThe wheelhousethe shownof be can from seriesa radiocarbonof measurements artefactsand first seconddatethe or to to century providingAD, fixeda pointin the much debated Hebridean pottery sequence and in the development of Hebridean round- houses. Beneath the wheelhouse floors were a large number of pits, many containing articulated, dismembered or cremated animal burials, attesting to ritual practices. The site, which is the first wheelhouse excavation to be published for twenty years, has important implications for the structure, chronology functionand wheelhousesof Hebrideanthe in Iron Age. CONTENTS EXCAVATION SYNTHESIS & DISCUSSION (illuS 1-23) Introduction ............................................. 118 site setting ........................................... 119 excavations ........................................... 121 Structures and stratigraphy .................................... 122 sit eA .............................................2 12 . sit eB .............................................
    [Show full text]