Making sure that every place in Scotland has the population it needs to thrive well into the future is key to ensuring the sustainability of our communities, as projections show that Scotland’s population is set to fall from 2033.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government launched our Addressing Depopulation Action Plan, which sets out our approach to supporting communities affected by population decline in different regions of the country to address the challenges they face.

Many of the places affected by population decline are in rural and island areas. These places can struggle to attract and retain enough people to support their local communities and economies.

To see a strong example of an island that has effectively turned the tide on depopulation, I visited the Isle of Eigg earlier this month. Eigg has increased the number of people living there in line with the local ambitions. While census data showed there were 131 people living in Eigg in 2001, there are now 170 – and the population is growing. 

Among the projects I visited was An Laimhrig, or the Green Shed, a local community hub which had formally opened to the public earlier that week after some regeneration work. The redevelopment project received funding through the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, as well as our Islands Programme, which has supported infrastructure projects across Scotland’s islands over the past three years.

The Herald: Eigg

It was great to see the impact this funding has had, with the centre providing a hub for small local businesses including a café and gift shop selling products by local makers. A new co-working space for remote workers is helping people sustain employment living on the island. The space was a fantastic example of how community centres can meet the practical needs of rural and island places and provide a social hub to bring people together. 

Thriving businesses are also key to making communities more sustainable, and they play an important role in boosting local economies and creating jobs. To see this in action, I visited the Isle of Eigg Brewery. This brilliant small business is Scotland’s first community-owned brewery, and it is committed to being as environmentally sustainable as possible.

It was inspiring to speak to the owner about his passion for the products he makes and the success he is having selling them across Scotland. It was also great to hear about how the business is contributing to job creation on the island, with one new employee already working for the company, and more employment opportunities planned for the years ahead.

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Residents in Eigg told me how accessing suitable housing on the island can be challenging. We know that more good quality, affordable housing is key to encouraging people to settle in rural and island places, and that a small number of homes can make a big difference. I was pleased to visit a site where plans are progressing for two new homes to be built on the island.

We’re also investing in rural and island areas through our Affordable Housing Supply Programme, as well as demand-led funds tailored the needs of rural communities. Since 2016-2017, we have supported the delivery of more than 10,000 affordable homes in rural and island areas, while our Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan is supporting our work to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 10% in rural and island areas.

Seeing these projects, listening to local priorities, and speaking to local businesses and organisations, showed how important it is that local expertise is championed in work to tackle population decline. Local businesses that are boosting the island economy, creating jobs and supporting the community are helping build the conditions for people to want to live, work and raise families on Eigg – including those who had moved away from the island but returned later in life.

We acknowledge there are no quick fixes to the challenges that lead to population decline, and as every place is affected differently, a tailored solution is needed for each area. Our National Islands Plan also continues to make sure we’re providing the right support for each of our islands to thrive, with a refreshed version to be published next year.

Eigg provides an inspiring example of how a community can achieve its population ambitions and we will consider their successes as we work to make sure places right across the country can attract and retain the people they need to thrive.

Paul McLennan, Minister for Housing