Civil engineering contractors are being offered a rare opportunity to work on one of the most isolated sites in the UK, with the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) seeking a contractor to undertake refurbishment works at North Rona Lighthouse.

Located on North Rona, a tiny island 71km northeast of the Butt of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, the lighthouse sits in what is widely regarded as one of the most remote parts of the British Isles.

North Rona is described by NLB as “the remotest island in the British Isles to have ever been permanently inhabited”.

The maintenance package may be modest in scale, but the logistical challenges are anything but.

The only means of reaching the site is by helicopter, with contractors required to mobilise personnel and materials to the island during a series of pre-arranged landing windows beginning on 30 September.

NLB has issued a tender for the refurbishment works, which are intended to extend the operational life of the lighthouse station and ensure its buildings remain weatherproof in the face of the harsh North Atlantic environment.

The lighthouse compound comprises three structures: the lighthouse tower itself, an engine block and an accommodation block. The successful contractor will establish a temporary base within the accommodation building while carrying out the works.

The project includes replacing seals on glass reinforced plastic (GRP) buildings, repairing fibreglass elements, painting the lighthouse tower, installing a replacement door and fitting a new water tank.

Other tasks include removing marine growth from structures, replacing damaged slabs and carrying out fencing repairs.

Given the remoteness of the site, workers will be left on the island for periods during the programme and trained to operate the engine serving the accommodation block. NLB has stipulated that teams of between three and four people will be required for most work phases.

The contract is expected to run from 30 September 2026 until 19 March 2027. The procurement notice lists an estimated value of £15,000 excluding VAT (£180,000 including VAT).

The competition is being run as a below-threshold open procedure and is particularly aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. Tender submissions are due by 23 July.

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