SAT - Allover - Chris Morphet
Tuesday 10 December 2024
 9.3°C   WSW Moderate Breeze
SCT - 2025/26 Small Grant SchemeSCT - 2025/26 Small Grant Scheme
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Business / North mainland accommodation providers renew Sella Ness camp call

The Sella Ness accommodation camp.

A GROUP of North Mainland accommodation providers have again expressed concern that if the Sella Ness workers’ camp is allowed to stay open until at least 2026 then some hotels or guest houses in the area could have to close.

Shetland North Accommodation Providers (SNAP), which represents over 200 guest rooms and more than 150 employees, has reiterated its call for Shetland Islands Council (SIC) to “choose local jobs and local businesses” over the temporary accommodation camp.

The application will be discussed by the SIC’s planning committee next week and in a new statement SNAP spokesperson Joe Rocks said with “no confirmed large scale construction projects requiring accommodation, Sella Ness is now competing directly with the local hotels”.

A representative of the camp, which is owned by Malthus Uniteam, previously said the “continued use of the accommodation facility at Sella Ness provides the most effective and suitable approach” to meeting the need for beds from people working in the oil and gas industry, as well as possible future wind energy projects.

The 426-bedroom facility opened in 2011 to serve workers constructing the nearby Shetland Gas Plant and its previously extended temporary planning permission is due to end in November 2020.

SNAP, which is comprised of Brae Hotel, Busta House Hotel, Drumquin, Greystones, Moorfield Hotel, St Magnus Bay Hotel, Toog Properties and Valleyfield Guest House, previously objected to the application, saying there was “no justification” for the camp to be still open after the gas plant was built.

“Its size dwarfs all the other available guest rooms combined and if Sella Ness remains open then some of the North island accommodation providers will undoubtedly close,” Rocks said.

“It is no coincidence that at present there are no less than four local hotels on the market. Any hotel closures will have a devastating impact on the local communities, suppliers and our staff, and severely curtail any future expansion of visitors to our islands.”

Become a member of Shetland News

 

Rocks argued that the planning application failed to show “significant long term demand that cannot currently be met by the existing permanent accommodation providers”.

“Temporary accommodation should be exactly that and should follow on from there being a specific project need. To risk people’s livelihoods and jobs by allowing an extension would be inappropriate,” he said.

The team behind the camp previously said the facility is “complementary in meeting the specific and significant accommodation challenges that exist in Shetland”.

They also downplayed the issue of competition and argued that the “additional facilities and services” provided by local hotels and guesthouses – such as public bars and restaurants – provide a “good balance for the commercial offer” and unlike the private camp, are serving the community.

The application comes as developers look to build a new 91-bedroom hotel in Lerwick that is expected to be a national chain brand, with Premier Inn targeting a location in Shetland since at least last year.

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.