DIY call to villagers to help save Cullipool
Saving Cullipool from the effects of climate change could become a DIY job for villagers.
The village is now in a situation where it will have to help itself, Colin Buchanan told Luing Community Council.
It could cost up to £10,000 just to carry out a small repair on the eroding shoreline but to do the work properly it would cost millions of pounds, he said at last week’s meeting, speaking as the lead on a joint review on options on behalf of Luing Community Trust and Lung Community Council.
The conservation village, battered again by recent storms that saw more of its shoreline fall away, is now waiting to see what reports from experts reveal.
Writers of the reports, commissioned by the community trust, have been helped by a 3D model of the shore, thanks to data captured from an aerial survey of the coast. Those reports are due later this month.
‘From that everyone will get a view of what needs to be done, but funding to find a solution for now and in the long term will be the issue,’ said Mr Buchanan, who said two bids for financial support had already been rejected by SSE and the Crown Estates.
‘Argyll and Bute Council under no circumstances will be responsible for the shore,’ he said, adding: ‘We are in a situation where we have to help ourselves.
‘We need to look after ourselves. It might be that we have to launch some kind of financial appeal to raise the money needed or do the work ourselves,’ he told the meeting.
One possibility could be at some point putting more rock on the shore and boulders to break up the power of the waves.
‘The cheapest way of doing that would be to do it ourselves,’ said Mr Buchanan.
The worst part of the erosion is at the north end of the shore. The shoreline is now at the edge of the track because of drastic erosion. Another five metres in and it will be into the quarry - if that happens it could have serious implications for the whole village, the meeting heard.
It was agreed to wait and see what the reports have to say but it was decided to start up a working group ready to act once the findings are known.
Support is also to be sought from Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto.