Lochaber, Skye & Wester Ross

Person wearing blue jacket and black helmet on a bike perched downhill on black heather moorland

The west Highlands - a land of opportunity

From the highest peak to mystical pools and one of the best drives in the world, Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross have the monopoly on A-list natural attractions.

But while Ben Nevis, the Isle of Skye’s Fairy Pools and the Bealach na Ba road draw visitors by the thousands, there’s more to this area of the vast western Highlands than mere world-class natural beauty.

Rich in natural produce, food and drink is a key local employer with companies such as Mowi farming salmon and exporting globally.

The area’s schools are among the strongest in the country, with a high proportion of school pupils going on to higher education. UHI West Highlands has 10 centres in the region, delivering further and higher education, including degree courses.

From Fort William to Portree, film crews have amplified the stunning landscapes of one of Scotland’s most photogenic regions all around the world. The area has made silver screen appearances in Prometheus, Macbeth, James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough and many more.

Live, work and study - love lochaber!

If you’re looking for the ideal work/life balance, Lochaber is the place to be. You won’t just find an area of outstanding natural beauty, although it is most definitely that, you’ll also find a diverse and dynamic community waiting to welcome you.

Live

The Love Lochaber community campaign, supported by HIE and the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, aims to increase the areas population by 25%. With this in mind, the area has seen recent investment in housing with over 300 more in the pipeline.

Work

There’s a diverse range of employment opportunities across Lochaber with small to large enterprises. These include MOWI, Alvance aluminium smelter, SSE and BSW Sawmill. And being the outdoor capital of the UK, it’s no surprise that tourism, walking and adventure activities support many in the local community.

Study

Scotland’s newest college, UHI North, West and Hebrides, delivers flexible, supportive learning from access level to PHD.

Find out more and #LoveLochaber

Working together at the conference in Portree

Conference reflections.

Get involved in the action

Join us in shaping the future of economic growth in our community.

At a recent conference in Portree over 80 businesses and organisations discussed strategies to capitalise on a range of economic growth opportunities in our region. Hosted by the Lochaber Chamber with support from us, you can get a feel for the event in our short film.

The conference is a great first step, but it’s not too late to get involved. Here are the initial themes, are these the things you’d focus on?

Investment readiness: prioritising investment projects that promise the highest returns for our community: infrastructure – availability of land, transport and housing; a supportive business climate
Talent Attraction: taking proactive steps to attract and retain skilled workers, leveraging initiatives like the Love Lochaber campaign
Collaboration: making common cause with communities and business organisations. This is essential if we are to effectively tackle the infrastructure challenges faced by many communities in the area together.

Get in touch to get involved

AREA STATISTICS

Published on 13/11/2023

2,000

local businesses

39,986

population

of employment in accommodation and food services

tourists to Skye are international

Grow your business here

If you are looking to base your business here, we can help you with our local knowledge, funding, property options and expert support to help you get set-up.

We can help your community thrive

If you're a new or existing social enterprise or community-led business in this area, we can offer you specialist advice and support.

Browse our support

or get in touch to have a chat about how we can help.

We’re really pleased to have secured support from HIE, enabling us to take the next step in expanding our business. It’s great to be able to schedule more trips to St Kilda with confidence, and the additional attraction of trips to Harris and the Shiants.

Kenneth MacKinnon, SeaSkye Marine

Fort Willam 2040 masterplan

HIE and the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce are working in partnership with the Highland Council to prepare a masterplan for the regeneration of Fort William town centre. The plan provides a range of proposals which will create a vibrant and sustainable town centre and demonstrate how it will benefit the local community as well as the thousands of visitors travelling to Lochaber each year.

The full masterplan and delivery programme, including project progress updates, is available on the Highland Council website.

View Fort William 2040 Masterplan

Who we work with

Have a look through our case studies to find out more about who we work with and how these businesses and communities are thriving in Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross.

Young Highland chocolatier, Finlay Mackenzie, sitting outside his Wester Ross shop

Chocolates of Glenshiel

Hear from young entrepreneur Finlay MacDonald about his passion for all things chocolate and how we've helped him move towards the sweet taste of success!

Play Video

Tiree Community Development Trust

The Trust is central to many aspects of island life and is the main driver of community led activity and economic progress.

Tiree Community Development Trust

Kirsty Elizabeth Studios

A Fort William native, Kirsty, has developed a bespoke bridal occasion and evening wear brand. Read about her transition from start-up to viable business.

Sitekit

Read about Sitekits growth in the digital health care sector and how this Highlands based business has developed a loyal, strong and highly skilled workforce.

Sitekit