The Hebridean island of Coll lies 42 miles from Oban. According to Project Trutst, there are 230 residents of Coll. Amenities on the island include two general shops, a post office and gift shop, a community owned petrol company, a craft shop, a primary school with a pre-5 unit and a medical centre with a doctor and nurse. Coll teenagers must travel to the mainland for their secondary education – many attend Oban High School and stay at a hostel.
Coll has a café, a hotel, one bed and breakfast establishment, and a small number of self catering houses or caravans. (details here) The community manages a new multipurpose community centre, An Cridhe, and a bunkhouse with 14 beds.
Islanders are reliant on transport links provided by the ferry and plane. To live on Coll, a resilient attitude is a bonus. Many people hold down two or more forms of employment, some of which can be seasonal. Over 20 full or part-time jobs are council-related, while the Project Trust, the largest single employer on the island supplies a further 20 full or part time jobs. The cost of living is high on Coll: fuel and foodstuffs in general cost 25% more in the local shop and the cost of freight for delivered items (oil or coal for heating for example) adds considerably to household bills.
Housing
Social Housing
Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) have 10 houses for rent on Coll and Trust Housing Association have 6 houses for rent. There is amenity housing on the island provided by Trust Housing. Development Coll have plans to develop further housing for rent, in partnership with a local housing association.
Social Housing Properties by RSL
ACHA 3 x two bed and 7 x three bed = 10
TRUST 1 x one bed, 2 x two bed and 3 x three bed = 6
Housing for Sale
Most housing on Coll is privately owned. There are a limited number of houses sold every year and there is often strong demand increasing local house prices.
The Scottish Government promotes initiatives to help first time buyers, but some like the Help to Buy scheme and the MI New Home initiatives are mainly available for new build housing in locations outside of the Hebrides.
Open Market LIFT may be accessible, however access to financial support is currently limited and house price thresholds are low. In Coll, the low threshold means there are few if any houses coming on the market where Open Market LIFT would be relevant. Many islands also have few house sales limiting this option – it is not available for self build.
Islanders may also be able to get help to buy through the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme
The following houses are currently for sale on Coll – Zoopla
Recent house prices can be viewed here
House Plots
Any house plots available on Coll are listed here and here
Private Rented Housing
The following properties are available for rent
Housing Options
HomeArgyll provides detailed information about housing options across Argyll. Click on the logo for their information on Coll. Click here to complete a Home Argyll housing options assessment.