If you are visiting this webpage for the first time, we would first of all like to clarify a few things.
In relation to the work recently carried out by Jura Consultants, the firm tasked with identifying the most suitable location for the proposed St Kilda Visitors Centre, the main complaint within the community of Harris is that the previously agreed criteria for the scoring of this study has all but been abandoned and that a new criteria has been conjured from thin air. We believe that as a community we have been denied the honesty and integrity which we ourselves applied throughout a tendering process, submitted against a criteria which we were falsely led to believe would be used in the scoring of the study.
As a community we are furious about the outrageous amendments’ to the original criteria which is almost unrecognisable to that which was actually scored by the consultants (details below). We as a community are also highly suspicious regarding the consultants refusal to show transparency in their decision making process as well as their failure to explain the reasoning behind their blatant change of criteria.
We as a community demand that the basic principles of honesty and decency are returned to this decision making process. We do so under the assumption that no decent Hebridean community would ever refuse to abide by these principles nor attempt to prevent us from achieving this objective.| Legend |
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Requirement which is not contained within the Original
Criteria but which has appeared in consultants scoring mechanism |
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Requirement which has been
amended from what is within the original Criteria |
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Requirement which is contained
within the Original Criteria but was removed from the consultants
scoring mechanism |
ORIGINAL CRITERIA SITE SUITABILITY |
ACTUAL CRITERIA SCORED |
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GROUP VIEW |
| Development potential – land must be available to "accommodate significant visitor numbers." | Site Development Potential to
Meet Brief |
1 |
3 |
2 |
The
original Criteria makes reference to the proposed location being
able to "accommodate significant visitor numbers." However the
importance of visitor numbers has been removed entirely from the
scoring mechanism used by the consultants throughout the entire study. |
| View of St Kilda on a Clear Day |
View of St Kilda on a Clear Day |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Due to the
limited amount of days which the Islands are visible from the mainland
Western Isles, we feel that this criteria should not have been given
the same weight as more important criteria relating to the actually
viability of the centre. |
| Dramatic scenic impact |
Dramatic Scenic Impact of the
Site Reflecting St Kilda |
1 |
3 |
2 |
Consultants
detailed during their visit to Leverburgh that "the view of Sound of
Harris world class” but they appear not to have reflected this in their
scoring. |
| NOT IN ORIGINAL CRITERIA |
Journey to Site reflecting St.
Kilda |
2 |
3 |
2 |
This was not on
the Original Criteria and there is nothing contained within the written
narrative justifying the methodology behind the scoring. It appears
that neither the outstanding Atlantic coast drive to Leverburgh nor the
immediate accessibility to the site by ferry or boat has not been
accounted for in comparing Leverburgh to the other potential sites.
Once again we feel that this new criteria should not have been
allocated the same weight as more important criteria concerning the
centre, far less included in the study. |
| 5 |
11 |
9 |
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| ACCESS | |||||
| Ease of access for visitors |
Ease of access for visitors |
3 |
2 |
2 |
Leverburgh's
positioning within the spinal route makes it the easiest site to access
from across the length and breadth of the Western Isles. The importance
that this aspect of the criteria has on actual visitor numbers and the
subsequent sustainability of the Centre should have been weighted
accordingly. |
| NOT IN ORIGINAL CRITERIA |
Access to St. Kilda from
potential site |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Despite Leverburgh scoring well in this new criteria, in the interests of honesty and fairness, we believe that this should not be scored as it is not contained within the Original Criteria. |
| 6 | 4 |
3 | |||
| HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY CONNECTIONS | |||||
| Opportunity
for host community to present the ‘spirit of place’ of St Kilda –
similarities in terms of remoteness , cultural heritage \ shared
traditions & Natural Environment eg Wildlife |
Reflect
the spirit of St. Kilda |
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| Remoteness |
1 |
3 |
2 |
What was originally a single criteria has now been
measured as three individual attributes, effectively making this the
only criteria which was weighted. Also no transparency in the
justification of scoring. |
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| Cultural Heritage / Shared
Traditions |
3 |
2 |
2 |
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| Natural setting |
2 |
3 |
2 |
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| Historic Relationship Between
Host Community and St Kilda |
Historic Relationship Between
Host Community and St Kilda |
3 |
2 |
2 |
The historical
links between St Kilda and Leverburgh coupled with the fact that these
Islands belong to the Parish of Harris are undisputable but there is no
transparency justifying the scoring which has been allocated in the
consultants findings. |
| Location specific interpretation
opportunities |
REMOVED FROM ORIGINAL CRITERIA |
- |
- |
- |
The written
narrative of the consultants report states "Leverburgh is an existing
transport hub taking visitors to St Kilda. It also has the opportunity
to deliver a powerful emotional experience, i.e. placing visitors in
the footsteps of people leaving to or returning from St Kilda.
Interpretation, or public art could be installed at the ferry terminal
to highlight the links which Leverburgh has with St Kilda." yet this
agreed criteria has been removed entirely from the actual scoring
mechanism. |
| Collection of materials held in
area which are relevant to St Kilda |
REMOVED FROM ORIGINAL CRITERIA | - | - | - | The Seallam
Visitor Centre in Northton is home to the most comprehensive collection
of historical and genealogical archives relating to St Kilda contained
within the Western Isles. This is coupled with the fact that all St
Kilda records detailing births deaths marriages are housed with it's
home Parish of Harris and this should have been reflected in the
scoring. Again, the consultants have referred to the Seallam Centre in
the written narrative of the report but this criteria has been removed
entirely from the actual scoring mechanism. |
| Current relationship with St
Kilda |
REMOVED FROM ORIGINAL CRITERIA | - | - | - | NTS Figures
confirm that in 2008, 85% of day visitors to St Kilda chose Leverburgh
as their port of departure. This is an extremely important aspect of
the study which should have been weighted accordingly. Instead it has
been removed entirely from the Original Criteria |
| 9 | 10 | 8 | |||
| BENEFITS OF LOCATING CENTRE IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION | |||||
| Economic benefits |
REMOVED FROM ORIGINAL CRITERIA | - |
- |
- |
The financial
viability of the centre and the subsequent sustainable economic
benefits gained, is arguably the singularly most important aspect to be
considered when deciding where to locate this facility and it should
have been weighted accordingly. There is reference in the consultants
report detailing the increased visitor numbers which a Centre located
in Leverburgh would provide but they have elected not to score this key
part of the Original Criteria |
| Social and community
benefits. |
REMOVED FROM ORIGINAL CRITERIA | - |
- |
- |
Leverburgh's
accessibility by ferry and road ensures accessibility for all
communities with the Western Isles, especially schools (see attached
document). Also Sir E Scott School have recently been invited by a
UNESCO representative for the UK to become an associated school.
Presently there are no associated schools in Scotland and plans are
underfoot by the S.E.S. to vigorously pursue this. The potential for
the partnership with schools and the centre in Leverburgh is limitless.
We also feel that the local councils commitment to Leverburgh detailed
within their own 5 year plan should also have been taken into
consideration. Instead all of the above has been removed entirely from
the Original Criteria |
| TOTAL |
20 |
25 |
20 |
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