Broch builders delighted at 'overwhelmingly positive' reaction to Caithness site
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An “overwhelmingly positive” response has been received by a group hoping to build the first full-scale Iron Age broch in 2000 years at a location in the far north.
The Caithness Broch Project revealed late last year that it had identified a site for its ambitious project and has been seeking views from the public in the area close by.
Brochs are round, stone structures that were built uniquely across Scotland, with the highest concentration being in Caithness as well as in the Northern Isles. Many of them remain only as collapsed ruins, with the most intact version surviving at Mousa in Shetland.
Some of them reached over 13 metres high and there has been much debate about their intended use as well as their design, with no two brochs being the same.
It is hoped that the replica broch will be built at Flygla, north of Latheron. A survey asking people in the Latheron, Lybster and Clyth community council area what they think of the “Big Broch Build” and the location for the development will close on Sunday, January 14.
People are encouraged to fill out the form, which is available here.
Ken McElroy, a director with the Caithness Broch Project, said: “The community consultation is an important part of the overall project to ascertain the views of locals, in order to ensure that we’re working along with everybody, or as many people as possible, so that they’re getting the best out of the project, too.
“We don’t want to stand on anybody’s toes, particularly in the local community where we’re hoping to build this thing. We really want this to be beneficial for everyone – and we mean everyone – as much as possible
“We realise that there’s going to be, for instance, an increase in visitors to the area should we take this forward. That might come with some issues, and something that we want to identify is if there will be issues, are people bothered by this sort of thing?
“So it’s all important feedback which we hope to inform the final build, because if there are ways of mitigating anything or alleviating any stresses or issues, we’re keen to be proactive rather than reactive.”
He added that while there had been some “understandable” concerns raised through the consultation process, these were not insurmountable obstacles to the overall project.
“So far the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, so that’s really good,” Mr McElroy said. “We’re maybe even quite surprised at just how positive it’s been, so that’s been great actually, to use that as a spur to keep going with the project.
“We feel very comfortable and assured in the site that we’ve got now. It ticks many boxes and we’re keen to keep going with it now.”
While the site has been identified, it is not yet owned by the project. The next step is to agree the transfer of the land, and negotiations with the landowner are due to take place soon.
Mr McElroy said: “The first stage is to fundraise towards the acquisition of the site, so that’ll take some time and some planning as well.”
Asked about timing, he added: “It’s always difficult and it always shifts and changes but it would be really great to acquire the site by the end of 2024. Negotiations are to be held with the landowner there as well as identifying funds for the purchase.
“That might take longer than a year but ideally it would be good if we could get it done so that we can start planning ahead for the next sections of the project.”
The vision for the Big Broch Build is to create a new visitor attraction for Caithness as well as establish an archaeological and educational research centre.
The charity aims to use traditional building techniques as much as possible and create a sustainable attraction which will help to gain valuable understanding of how our ancestors lived in Caithness.
The project is also expected to provide employment through the building process as well as when the visitor centre is opened to the public.
Mr McElroy said: “At the moment it seems kind of ephemeral, and there is a lot that we are doing just to get it to the initial starting point – at which point then we will hopefully have a number of contractors, builders, labourers, people involved in craft and building, and also the more ancillary features such as creating the visitor centre and the infrastructure like services and roads and paths, all of these things that go into the construction of a major development, which is what this is.
“It’s difficult to put a timescale on it but I’d like to think in something like up to three years from now we’d be in a position to start the build. We’re in it for the long haul!”
