North-west community bus firm’s plan to knock down ‘eyesore’ to make way for new premises
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A north-west community transport company is seeking planning approval to tear down an “eyesore” derelict building to make way for a new depot and office space in Durness.
The Durness Bus submitted an application to Highland Council on February 12 seeking permission to knock down fire damaged ruins situated at Sangomore in the north-west village.
If approved, the company plan to build a “modest” premises on the site, which the company say will promise to be both energy efficient and sustainable.
Their current premises is situated just 100 metres away.
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The new design includes three large service bays which will be utilised for servicing and maintenance of vehicles. An office space next to the units will combine driver welfare facilities with a space for meetings.
The firm currently runs a small fleet of minibuses and cars providing a “diverse mixture of lifeline services” linking remote areas in the north and north-west Sutherland to bigger towns such as Lochinver or Thurso, and south to Inverness.
With help from Highland Opportunity Investment, the community-based company, which was first formed 11 years ago, was bought by Neil and Sarah Fuller in 2019.
Durness Bus has since renewed its fleet with modern vehicles and in May last year, the business was presented with the Rural Transport Award by the Scottish Rural and Island Transport Community.
In the company’s development proposal, Mr and Mrs Fuller note: “The spread out nature of a crofting community means that we are not too close to our neighbours and will not impact on their lives too greatly.
“Indeed, we are just moving our operating centre 100m further along Sangomore and providing proper facilities that will enhance the site and remove an eyesore of a derelict fire damaged building that blights the community.
“We have already started to clear the site of years of rubbish and debris from old buildings and are eager to start the building process.”
Planning applications can be viewed on the Highland Council website here.
