A west Highland shellfish business is hoping to turn its distribution base into a tourist attraction – including a specialist restaurant and visitor accommodation.
Sunart Sea Farm on the Ardnamurchan peninsula also wants to provide studios and work spaces, together with housing for the people working on the site.
Arlette George has recently become a new director in the family business at Salen, near Acharacle, which her parents Rodney and Maria George, have run mainly as a shellfish export operation.
A planning application for the project has been submitted to Highland Council, stating that she wants to make it “a much more locally centred enterprise, using the expertise and experience already gained”.
Mrs George is seeking consent to build the restaurant, visitor living accommodation, studios and work spaces, a manager’s house, affordable housing and to create 21 parking spaces.
She has also applied for permission to continue using the existing shellfish holding pen with preparation ponds and to retain an existing log cabin and shed.
The application has been submitted by an agent, Phin Manasseh, of London, who said: “The plan is to continue the use of the shellfish holding and preparation ponds, both for distribution and, what is new, for supply to a specialist restaurant, which would be built within the site.
“It is also planned to re-establish a multi-species bivalve aquaculture operation, which was once the principal activity, on the Crown Estate shellfish farming leases, which the company still holds.
“The supply to the restaurant would be augmented with product from other organic cultivated and wild caught fish and shellfish supplies.”
He added that, along with the existing commercial use, the new scheme would include more facilities and accommodation for people who work there.
And he pointed out that this was exactly what was needed in the Highlands – work and homes.
Mr Manasseh said: “The existing site is a working site for commercial use.
“It is proposed to remodel the site by upgrading its landscaping and by introducing a new element of live/work as part of a process of sustainable development.
“The existing business will be adapted and diversified, while retaining the best qualities of the site – good access from the road, access to the sea, trees and shrubs on three sides of the site and screening from the road.”