News / Long-awaited COPE expansion plans get underway
WORK on plans to significantly expand social enterprise COPE’s Shetland Home Co. reuse centre in Lerwick have finally got underway.
The existing building at Port Business Park will increase in size to deal with rising demand for donations to the existing scrap store.
It will be extended into the sorting yard at the back of the premises, giving the company much-needed retail and work shop space.
The plans were first approved in 2023, with COPE saying then it hoped to have the extension open by late 2024.
However construction work was delayed, and the council was finally given notification last week that it was now set to get underway.
Shetland Home Co. said it was “pleased” to say that work was now starting on the extension.
It said there would be changes to the way it worked as the project progressed and asked customers to follow guidance from their staff.
“Our external yard is now closed, and this will reduce donation processing space,” it said.
“We would ask that you come into the shop and speak to our friendly team if you need help with your donations or give us a call ahead of time for larger donations.
“A reminder that we stop taking donations at 3:30pm and we do offer a collection service across the mainland for larger items.”
COPE was successful in securing almost £700,000 of island-specific funding from the Scottish Government in May 2023 for the project.
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