The Council’s Environment, Development and Infrastructure committee yesterday(19 March) agreed that the preferred option for making the B8035 at Gribun, Mull, safe to re-open would be to scale the rockface at the areas most prone to rockfall.
Members also agreed to recommend to the Policy and Resources Committee that the £500,000 required to conduct this work should be allocated from Crown Estate funding.
This work would take between six and 12 months. While the work is conducted, the road would continue to remain closed for public safety.
The B8035 links several remote communities on Mull and is a popular tourist destination. It is also a key location for local events, like the Mull rally.
In summer 2025, three rockfalls occurred resulting in the road being closed for public safety as geotechnical surveys were conducted to determine the cause, potential frequency and impact of future landslips and what preventative measures could be taken.
The most recent report, presented in November 2025, indicated that the risks to travellers moved to unacceptable levels under certain weather conditions or in areas where sightlines were reduced.
Ten options, ranging from full rock stabilisation to simple signage, were put forward. The option of scaling was selected based on effectiveness, cost of the work and ongoing maintenance and duration of the project.
Three hundred thousand pounds of Crown Estate funding had previously been set aside to deal with remedial works following a rockfall at Gallanach. This site has been has monitored over two years is no longer a priority, so it is recommended that the funds be transferred to Gribun. A request for an additional £200,000 of Crown Estate funding will be made to the Policy and Resources committee.
Councillor John Armour, Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services, said: “The road has been closed for public safety, which is first and foremost our main concern. Throughout the process we have worked with local communities and interested groups to do all we can to support them. Now we understand the full extent of the issues we can plan for what steps can be taken forward if the funding can be agreed.”
