Dunvegan Community

Isle of Skye

Dunvegan faces a challenge shared by many small Highland communities: how to retain families, sustain local services and ensure there is a viable community for the next generation.

In a village of this scale, 16 affordable homes, a new primary school and nursery, and new community facilities can have an impact far beyond the individual projects. Working with The Highland Council and Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association, Dualchas developed a masterplan that brings these investments together as part of a wider strategy for the future of the village.

Planning for a living community
The masterplan coordinates 16 affordable homes, Gaelic and English-medium education, nursery provision, potential sports facilities, pedestrian connections and shared infrastructure.

The site’s dips, rises and exposed areas determine where development belongs. Housing is divided between upper and lower areas, with greater density in sheltered ground and visually sensitive land retained as open grazing.

The homes are arranged around streets and shared spaces rather than as a conventional suburban estate. Orientation, gardens and the relationships between buildings balance privacy with a sense of neighbourhood.

An upgraded route between the A863 and Kilmuir Road serves both housing and school. By considering access, services, landscape, housing and community facilities together, investment in one part of the site supports the development of the whole.

Safeguarding Dunvegan’s future
For a small rural community, new homes can mean families being able to stay, children attending the local school, people supporting local businesses and services, and another generation having the opportunity to make their lives in the village.

Bringing housing together with education and community facilities makes the masterplan about more than development. It is about creating the conditions for Dunvegan to remain a living, sustainable community for future generations.

The shared access road was completed in 2025. The affordable homes are being progressed by Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association, and the replacement primary school forms part of The Highland Council’s Highland Investment Plan.