End of an era as paper mill folds

IN JUST a few noisy seconds, a symbol of the Highlands' industrial history for 45 years disappeared. When the dust has settled and the mountain of rubble has been cleared, work will start on building part of its future.

A controlled explosion yesterday brought down a 210ft powerhouse at the former Arjo Wiggins paper mill at Corpach, near Fort William. It had been a landmark on the shores of Loch Linnhe and in the shadow of Ben Nevis since the 1960s. Its main section housed a 170ft chamber containing two major boilers weighing more than 100 tonnes, topped by a 40ft steel chimney.

Its dramatic disappearance will pave the way for a redevelopment of the 67-acre site by BSW Forestry, which will see the creation of a £25 million sawmill, the biggest in the UK.

Andy Rogers, manager of BSW's Fort William mill, said: "It heralds an exciting future for the new sawmill, which will have more than twice the output of our current site."