Inverness firm appointed for Loch Duich housing scheme
Written by MartyM on 18 June 2026
By Jamie McDonald
Inverness firm appointed for Loch Duich housing scheme
Inverness company MAKAR has been appointed to carry out survey and development work at Loch Duich as plans to build eight affordable homes progress.
The properties will be at Ratagan and Saraig. Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust acquired the land from Forestry and Land Scotland.
The group was awarded £166,722 by the Scottish Land Fund to help bring land at Ratagan and Saraig into community ownership.
The wider project includes two business units, five woodland crofts and a community growing area. Another housing plot will be sold on the market to help fund the development.
All eight properties will be for what developers call ‘affordable rent’.
It comes as housing continues to be an issue for people in the area. The average house price in Highland was £212,000 in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics.
MAKAR’s initial concept for the site
Loch Duich Community Council is also involved in the scheme. In a Facebook post, the group said:
“Exciting to see the project moving forward and we are very grateful to KLCT for taking the project forward and especially to Susan and Iain for all their hard work.
“We had the first Liaison group meeting for the project last night, was great to see such positive thoughts on the project.”
Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust established a Lochalsh Community Action Plan in 2022, based on almost 600 responses from a community survey.
KLCT chair, Maggie Byrne, said:
“We felt that MAKAR’s presentation showed a strong awareness of local challenges of depopulation, fuel poverty, the need for community infrastructure, and supporting local businesses. We were also impressed by the firm’s commitment to community engagement, placemaking, delivering low-carbon homes, and creating houses that are affordable to heat and live in.”
MAKAR chief executive Neil Edgar said:
“We look forward to developing the trust’s plan further as we work through the design stages alongside the Trust and the local community, helping to shape a place that reflects local aspirations and supports future generations.”
Listen to the full interview with Maggie Byrne from KLCT below.
