Scottish Sea Farms and Retreat combined in an award winning, Parliament motioning and environmentally sustainable project. And that’s not even hinting at one of the most scenic journeys in the UK.
The Scottish Sea Farms Project – Eday
From mid 2019 until the early 2020s Retreat had the pleasure of working in partnership with the Scottish Sea Farms company on Eday in the Orkneys. It was to be a project that won Scottish Sea Farms and Retreat a category award at the Aquaculture Awards 2020 event. This is that story.
In 2019 Retreat were deep in conversation with Scottish Sea Farms regarding designing and manufacturing single storey one-bedroom accommodation units for their workforce. The six Retreats also had a dual purpose, to offer visitors and specialists accessing the site suitable accommodation.
Furthermore, planning guidance also stipulated that the development’s overall design ethos was to include… ‘provision for future change of use, or spare capacity, to tourist rental accommodation.’ A demanding brief for any lodge manufacturer.
Retreat’s natural cedar exterior finish, a ‘flat’ roof format to take a turf finish coupled with an air source heating system was considered the perfect combination to meet this design criteria.
Manufacturing and Delivery
Four of the six Retreats began their manufacturing phase by June of 2019 when the chassis were delivered to our workshop. By November the units were leaving Retreat on their journey to the Orkney Isles. It remains the longest and one of the most scenic journeys undertaken by The Team within the UK.
Delivery was interesting for Retreat and their chosen transport partner for this project, Whitecarn Transport. Planning guidance steered towards a flat roof construction and this proved an important factor for transportation. A traditional pitch roof design may have proved undeliverable due to ferry height restrictions.
The Aquaculture Award 2020
The Retreats on Eday won the Economic Sustainability category at the Aquaculture Award 2020 ceremony. This event was held during the Covid pandemic and as such was a remote video event. The full presentation can be seen here…Aquaculture Awards 2020. You can move directly to the Economic Sustainability Award at 12minutes thirty-five if you wish.
A mention in dispatches
The Scottish Sea Farms project on Eday was further praised and motioned in the Scottish Parliament by SMP Liam McArthur in March 2020. This can be seen here…SMP Letter.
The photographs
These photographs showcase one of the one-bed accommodation units during its various stages from inception to siting.
All six Retreats were clad in our standard durable and hard wearing Canadian Cedar and topped with an Alwitra covering in order to take a green roof finish after siting. A hand-built, bespoke kitchen adds a splash of indulgence and a spacious shower and bed room combines to deliver first-class luxury for users at the end of a busy day.
The 38 x 12ft Retreats are sited at Mill Hope Bay on the Orkney island of Eday and form a crucial ‘home away from home’ for Scottish Sea Farm employees. This worthwhile project drastically helps cut commuter times for employees who no longer have to travel island to island at the start or end of a working day.
