Green MSP inspired by 'passion and dedication' of Caithness broch-building team
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A Highlands and Islands MSP says she has been inspired by the "passion and dedication" of the team behind plans to create a replica broch in Caithness.
Ariane Burgess, of the Scottish Green Party, believes the Caithness Broch Project initiative will boost tourism in the county while also providing educational opportunities.
She was speaking after lodging a parliamentary motion congratulating the archaeological charity.
The motion states: "That the parliament recognises the Caithness Broch Project’s plans to build the first broch in Scotland in 2000 years; congratulates the organisation on its efforts to create a visitor attraction that, it believes, will bring people to Caithness from all over the country; understands that the structure will be built by only using methods available in the Iron Age, and will include a combination of features found in broch construction, and celebrates what it sees as the unprecedented nature of this project.”
Those supporting the motion included fellow Highlands and Islands MSPs Donald Cameron, Rhoda Grant and Emma Roddick.
Ms Burgess said: “I’m excited to see the Caithness Broch Project come to fruition. Not only will it boost tourism in Caithness but it will provide educational outreach opportunities for local young people.
"I’m inspired by the passion and dedication of all those involved and am looking forward to seeing how the construction unfolds and what knowledge or insights will be discovered by using Iron Age methods.”
Last month, detailed images were released showing what the replica broch will look like. Caithness Broch Project believes the structure can become a thriving visitor attraction and "an icon for the county".
The charity hopes to acquire land for the broch construction within the next year, with funding from a variety of sources.
Brochs – double-walled, drystone towers found only in Scotland – were common features in the Iron Age landscape across the Highlands and Islands, and Caithness can lay claim to having more brochs than anywhere else.
