Almost £50 million of investment is moving forward across Skye, with new schools, road improvements, harbour repairs and a major public services hub all progressing across the island.

Highland councillors received updates on five separate projects alongside another strong year at the Old Man of Storr, where annual visitor numbers have passed 300,000 and the site generated a surplus of more than £470,000.

The largest single project is the new £21 million Broadford Primary School, where work began in May and completion remains scheduled for December 2027.

The new school will also include a games hall, Highland Council Service Point and High Life Highland Library, while a community developed sports pitch will sit alongside the wider development.

In Dunvegan, planning permission has been secured for a new primary school estimated to cost £18 million, with work due to begin in November and completion programmed for April 2028.

The wider Dunvegan site also includes plans for new housing and a community sports pitch, while around £2.6 million has already been spent improving the access road.

In Portree, work is continuing on the £5 million Tigh na Sgire shared services hub, which will bring a range of public and third sector organisations into one building.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Citizens Advice Bureau will be among the organisations based there alongside Highland Council services, with completion expected later this year.

The long awaited Portree Link Road is also nearing completion at a cost of around £2.5 million.

The route connects the A87 Dunvegan Road with the A855 Staffin Road and is expected to open in early October.

It is intended to ease pressure on the town centre while also opening up access for future development at Home Farm and Kiltaraglen.

A further £1.9 million programme of repairs is underway at Portree Harbour, with the current phase due to finish later this month.

Additional repairs to masonry stonework, fencing and other outstanding defects are expected to follow, with completion targeted for March 2027.

The Old Man of Storr meanwhile continues to generate income for the area, with seven full time jobs supported and a financial surplus of £470,274 recorded.

A second phase of development has also created more space for retail, community events and weddings.

Chair of the Skye and Raasay Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said:

“These projects all carry enormous benefits for education, transport, the economy and our communities in general.

“It is really encouraging to see the progress that is being made.

“In the next year we’ll have a brand-new primary school in Broadford, with another underway in Dunvegan.

“The link road in Portree will be complete, opening up a range of opportunities for housing and other amenities, while the refurbished Tigh na Sgire will establish a modern and much-needed hub building shared by various public bodies, the Highland Council Service Point and other council services.

“We’ve also seen work to improve the harbour, while the Storr project goes from strength to strength, with income streams supporting investment in local infrastructure while also creating good local jobs and supporting a wide variety of other local businesses and suppliers.

“This level of investment is transformational and will leave a legacy of enhanced services, improved facilities and strengthened communities across the ward.”