15 May 2026 Issue 2678 © ULLAPOOL NEWS
Apologies for the late arrival of this section today.
Local author Mandy Haggith wins the Richard Jefferies Award for the best book of nature writing published in 2025, with The Lost Elms. Mandy said “I’m hugely excited and proud of this
honour, and to join the list of nature writers who have won in previous years with work I revere.
*****
The Women who Won Highland Clearance history – two films this summer
Journalist Lesley Riddoch and filmmaker Steve Rawson are making two new films about communities reclaiming their clearance histories in the depopulated North West Highlands – famous today mainly as a scenic but desolate and empty backdrop to the NC500. One film describes the women of Coigach near Ullapool who turned back Sheriff’s officers trying to deliver the dreaded “summons of removal” not once but five times in 1852/3.
Filmmaker Steve Rawson said; ‘We are determined to capture these important moments in Highland and Scottish history with two films – The Clearance of Strathnaver and The Women of Coigach. Lesley and I will complete them whether we reach the crowdfunder total or not, but if you can help, we’d be very grateful. The aim is a cinema run this autumn and then Youtube for everyone.’
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/highland-clearances-two-communities-fight-back
*****
Views sought on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas in Highland
A public consultation opened on Tuesday 12 May on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCA) in Highland with the aim of striking a better balance between tourism growth and local housing need.
The Highland Council is seeking views from residents, communities, businesses and the tourism sector on proposals to introduce two STLCAs:
• Inverness City STLCA, which would cover the wards of Inverness West; Inverness Central; Inverness Ness-side; Inverness Millburn; and parts of Inverness South, including Westhill, Milton of Leys and Slackbuie, and;
• Highland Rural STLCA, which would cover the wards of Lochaber; Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Sutherland; Skye and Raasay; Aird and Loch Ness; and parts of Inverness South, including Tomatin and Daviot.
Within a control area, planning permission will always be required for a future change of use of a residential home to a secondary short-term let – where the owner does not normally live in the property but rents it out on a short-term basis. Currently, planning permission is only required if the development is considered a material change of use. Control areas do not introduce a ban on short-term lets, or affect second homes, empty properties or purpose-built holiday accommodation.
The consultation runs for six weeks, from Tuesday 12 May to Tuesday 23 June, with drop-in information events taking place in Plockton (14 May), Lochinver (18 May), Fort Augustus (21 May), Inverness (22 May), Portree (25 May), Fort William (29 May), and Ullapool (1 June). To take part in the consultation, and find out more, visit: www.highland.gov.uk/STLCAConsult
*****
Apologies for the late arrival of this section today.
Local author Mandy Haggith wins the Richard Jefferies Award for the best book of nature writing published in 2025, with The Lost Elms. Mandy said “I’m hugely excited and proud of this
honour, and to join the list of nature writers who have won in previous years with work I revere.
*****
The Women who Won Highland Clearance history – two films this summer
Journalist Lesley Riddoch and filmmaker Steve Rawson are making two new films about communities reclaiming their clearance histories in the depopulated North West Highlands – famous today mainly as a scenic but desolate and empty backdrop to the NC500. One film describes the women of Coigach near Ullapool who turned back Sheriff’s officers trying to deliver the dreaded “summons of removal” not once but five times in 1852/3.
Filmmaker Steve Rawson said; ‘We are determined to capture these important moments in Highland and Scottish history with two films – The Clearance of Strathnaver and The Women of Coigach. Lesley and I will complete them whether we reach the crowdfunder total or not, but if you can help, we’d be very grateful. The aim is a cinema run this autumn and then Youtube for everyone.’
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/highland-clearances-two-communities-fight-back
*****
Views sought on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas in Highland
A public consultation opened on Tuesday 12 May on proposals to introduce Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCA) in Highland with the aim of striking a better balance between tourism growth and local housing need.
The Highland Council is seeking views from residents, communities, businesses and the tourism sector on proposals to introduce two STLCAs:
• Inverness City STLCA, which would cover the wards of Inverness West; Inverness Central; Inverness Ness-side; Inverness Millburn; and parts of Inverness South, including Westhill, Milton of Leys and Slackbuie, and;
• Highland Rural STLCA, which would cover the wards of Lochaber; Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Sutherland; Skye and Raasay; Aird and Loch Ness; and parts of Inverness South, including Tomatin and Daviot.
Within a control area, planning permission will always be required for a future change of use of a residential home to a secondary short-term let – where the owner does not normally live in the property but rents it out on a short-term basis. Currently, planning permission is only required if the development is considered a material change of use. Control areas do not introduce a ban on short-term lets, or affect second homes, empty properties or purpose-built holiday accommodation.
The consultation runs for six weeks, from Tuesday 12 May to Tuesday 23 June, with drop-in information events taking place in Plockton (14 May), Lochinver (18 May), Fort Augustus (21 May), Inverness (22 May), Portree (25 May), Fort William (29 May), and Ullapool (1 June). To take part in the consultation, and find out more, visit: www.highland.gov.uk/STLCAConsult
*****
