A salmon farming giant is doing what landlords and councils haven’t managed — putting roofs over workers’ heads, right where they work. Bakkafrost Scotland just got the green light to build temporary accommodation units at its Scalpay site, tackling a housing squeeze that’s been choking its operations in the Western Isles.
A Solution Born Out Of Necessity
Try finding a flat on Harris these days. Good luck. That’s the harsh truth many workers face, and it’s been biting Bakkafrost hard. Recruiting folks is one thing — keeping them is another when there’s nowhere affordable to live. So they pitched a plan: 14 temporary units with welfare facilities right at Cuddy Point.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local council, agreed. They knew it’s not exactly a picture-postcard solution, housing folks in a compound, but sometimes needs must. The council’s planning report spelled it out: limited housing stock is a serious operational headache for employers on the island.
Homes That Move With The Tide
One short line — fish farming doesn’t pause for housing crises.
These modular units aren’t forever. They’ll serve staff across Bakkafrost’s operations on Harris, giving new recruits somewhere to rest their heads after a shift. It’s a patch — not a fix — for an island economy squeezed by second homes, tourism lets and a lack of affordable builds.
The salmon farming firm, which runs around 45 sites along Scotland’s rugged west coast, knows the housing challenge all too well. With over 400 employees on its books, the Scalpay base is just one piece of the puzzle.
Locals Caught In The Squeeze
So, what’s actually driving the crunch? It’s not one thing. It’s everything at once. There’s demand for holiday homes. There’s not enough new affordable housing stock. And the cost of building on remote islands? Eye-watering.
• Young families are moving away.
• Workers can’t find anywhere close to jobs.
• Small businesses lose out when staff can’t stay.
It’s a frustrating loop. The Western Isles’ population has been shrinking for years, and even when jobs are there — like with Bakkafrost — the lack of housing pulls the rug out.
Not Ideal, But What’s The Alternative?
Planning officials didn’t mince their words. They know cramming people into site compounds isn’t exactly the gold standard for sustainable communities. But the alternative? Jobs left vacant, operations stalling, and more families moving away.
Here’s what the council faced:
| Issue | Impact |
|---|---|
| Housing Shortage | Recruitment problems |
| High demand for holiday lets | Locals priced out |
| Remote geography | Higher construction costs |
| Staff turnover | Local economy impact |
Basically, doing nothing wasn’t an option.
A Bigger Question For The Western Isles
Bakkafrost’s quick fix sparks a bigger question — who else is stepping up? Locals see the irony. A salmon company can sort housing quicker than some councils can build a handful of flats. But it also highlights the desperate need for longer-term solutions that don’t involve staff sleeping next to their work sites indefinitely.
A single sentence says it all: Nobody wants to call a compound home forever.
Still, for the 14 people who’ll soon get a bed and a door to close, this temporary move is a lifeline. It might not look pretty on a planning map, but on an island fighting depopulation and housing pressure, it’s one more reason to stay put.
