Spiorad na Mara Community Benefits Consultation Report
Spiorad na Mara Community Benefits Consultation Final Report - October 2025
CO-CHOMHAIRLE MU BHUANNACHD COIMHEARSNACHD AITHISG DHEIREANNACH - AN DÀMHAIR 2025
The full report for our Spiorad na Mara Community Benefit Consultation is now available below.
Aquatera Ltd has completed an independent consultation with communities on the west coast of Lewis and across the wider island to inform the future development of a Community Benefit Fund linked to the proposed Spiorad na Mara Offshore Wind Project.
The consultation, which ran from February to April 2025, was designed to ensure that community voices shaped the development of the proposed £4.5 million per year West Coast Community Benefit Fund and to gather views on wider opportunities for benefits that could be delivered by, or through, the project across Lewis and the Western Isles.
Over 150 people took part through surveys, public events, youth engagement activities and interviews, with feedback highlighting key themes for investment and support. Across both the west coast and wider island, communities emphasised the importance of addressing fuel poverty through heating and energy initiatives, alongside a strong desire for initiatives related to housing and accommodation, particularly for young people and families. Education, employment, and skills development were also consistently raised as priorities, alongside wellbeing, cultural heritage, and long-term economic sustainability.
Participants stressed the need for governance of the West Coast Fund to be locally controlled and independent of existing organisations or the local council, with suitably-qualified resources in place to ensure robust and transparent management.
Appointed through a competitive tendering process, Aquatera conducted all aspects of the consultation independently, providing neutral space for communities to share their views. Draft findings were presented in April 2025, allowing participants to review and refine the results before the final report was completed.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside the communities of Lewis on this consultation. The feedback gathered provides a strong base for building a fund that responds to local priorities and delivers long-term value. As an island-based company ourselves, we appreciate the perspectives shared and look forward to seeing how the fund develops in the years ahead.” – Ian Johnstone, Director, Aquatera Ltd
Martin Whyte, Project Director for Spiorad na Mara, thanked Aquatera for their work and identified the next steps that the Project will take to progress this work.
“Aquatera carried out this work robustly and independently and we are delighted to see the outputs of the consultation published in this comprehensive report, as we committed to last year. It is encouraging to see so much interest in the West Coast Fund from the communities that will benefit directly from it and a desire to shape its use in line with local needs. Local input and voices are critical in shaping the delivery of substantial funds like this and we are committed to ensuring that this local involvement continues,” he said.
