New £15m attraction could rise from ashes

Multi-millionpound plans to rebuild and relocate the firehit Scottish Crannog Centre in Perthshire have been revealed.

Bosses at the awardwinning attraction have put forward lengthy proposals that would see a new centre built on the other side of Loch Tay.

It comes nearly a year after the crannog – a wooden replica of an Iron Age water dwelling – was destroyed in a huge fire.

Plans were already under way to move the museum from Kenmore to Dalerb before the blaze – but those proposals have now been accelerated.

The development will be split into two phases with the first – costing £2.7 million – lodged with Perth and Kinross Council.

That will include the construction of a new crannog over the water, along with an Iron Age village, roundhouse and visitor centre – featuring a cafe, retail space, museum and office.

The second phase would see the site further developed to include an upgraded visitor centre, accommodation, commercial units, permanent car parking and footpaths, at an overall cost of £12.5m.

An artist’s impression of the new visitor centre shows a green-topped building divided into two glass-fronted sections.

Architects claim the visitor centre has been designed “to create a sense of arrival and the custom glazed ends allow plenty of natural light to penetrate the building.

“A green sedum roof will encourage biodiversity and help support wildlife habitats.”

A statement submitted with the plans says museum bosses want the Scottish Crannog Centre to be the “most sustainable museum” in the country, which could accommodate up to 80,000 visitors a year.

“The Scottish Crannog Centre has outgrown its existing home on the South shore of Loch Tay,” the design statement reads.

“The case for change is brought about by positive reasons.

“In June 2021 however, the SCC was hit by a devastating fire, which burnt the crannog. This event, though tragic, has brought about a need to accelerate the delivery of the Dalerb project.”

In his statement to planning officers, Nick Grant, chair of the trustees of the Scottish Crannog Centre Trust, said: “We want to be a sector-leading museum, a museum fit to tell our stories, a museum that is democratic and engages diverse folk – both those that work alongside each other and those that to visit. We want to be a place of activism where leadership runs right through the organisation”.

Mike Benson, Scottish Crannog Centre director, told The Courier: “We have been humbled by the support we have had from everyone, from individual people to the Scottish Government.

“We really appreciate everyone who has helped us.

“We’ve also had offers of volunteers and materials, it’s been incredible.

“Everyone has just worked full-out to make this happen. It’s another step forward for us.

“It also means we are securing employment for our staff and we can keep running our apprenticeship scheme.

“It has been a challenging time and everyone was upset at the time of the fire. What we have and do here is incredibly important to Scottish heritage.”

The plans will be considered by Perth and Kinross Council in the coming months.

“We want a sector-leading museum that’s fit to tell our stories

REBIRTH: An architect’s vision for the new Scottish Crannog Centre, and inset, the remains of a walkway after the attraction was destroyed by fire.