Scottish Community Land Newsletter
January 2006
The Scottish Community Land Network (SCLN) aims to encourage and
support community land initiatives (CLI) in Scotland through
promotion, the sharing of experience and networking of Scottish CLI
groups.
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News - Woodland & Forestry - Renewable Energy –
Funding & Support – Events – Jobs - Training - Bits & Pieces –
A View from the Hills – Featured CLI – Links -etc.___________________
Hi all,
Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to a New Year with all the
burdens of expectation, self-improvement and ability to write off the
previous year’s mistakes. This will hopefully motivate us into
realising more of last year’s successes.
We’ve had art imitating life in the CLI movement, now its time for
sports. It is really great to see the fans of Raith Rovers succeed in
the buyout of the club, a real bottom-up initiative. Read about it at
Cheers,
Steve
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THE community buyout of South Uist, Sealladh na Beinne Moire, is
poised to take a significant step forward as a team of experts
including corporate accountants, land lawyers and valuers are
appointed to progress the sale. Their work has been complicated by
the current owners of the 93,000-acre estate, South Uist Estate Ltd,
who have been cherry-picking the assets of the estate and selling
them onto subsidiary companies. They will be keen to establish the
status of land and associated commercial leases including Market
Stance on Benbecula (£80,832), quarries (£108,000), Sporting Interests
(£5,000 per year), Grogarry Lodge, Grogarry and Drimore farms,
encompassing 2254 acres (£843,920) and Askernish Estate
office (£320,000) all sold recently .This is a flagrant attempt at
asset stripping by the South Uist Estate, seriously jeopardising the
future viability of the community buyout and running totally against
the spirit of the Land Reform Act. It was already known that
interposed leases on the future renewable energy development,
including the future right to build windfarms had been leased. This
is to be examined under due diligence. Prof Roderick Paisley,
Professor of Commercial Property Law at Aberdeen University has
expressed an opinion on interposed leases and crofting that will be
used to challenge these leases in court later this year.
Plans to create a community facility in the small north-east fishing
village of St Combs is progressing. The. Roads Community Cafe Project
has already spent nearly £30,000 with assistance from the Scottish
Land Fund to buy a site for the development and will need to raise
another £70,000 to turn their dreams into reality. The proposed
transformation of a former commercial garage into a meeting place for
villagers was originally rejected by members of Aberdeenshire Council
s Buchan area committee, although the local authority had received 46
letters supporting the scheme and 12 objecting. Facilities for
villagers of all ages, including access to computers and the
Internet, training opportunities and a tearoom serving light snacks
success.
The community at Mundole near Forres has just held a ballot to pursue
the purchase of the residential Riverview Caravan Park. Of an
eligible 136 electorate, 103 voted with 94 returning a positive vote,
a clear 91% in favour of the community-ownership. The
Mundole Futures Community Company, having recently been accepted
under Part 2(the community right to buy) of the Land Reform Act, will
now begin fund raising for the purchase. Congratulations!
The ownership of the Cairngorm Estate, 1400 hectares set in the
Central Highlands, looks like being transferred to the Forestry
Commission Scotland (FCS). Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) the
current owners of the estate commissioned Bidwells to report
the full range of potential ownership options. The
Cairngorm National Park Authority ruled itself out as a potential
owner. Apparently, a community-led buyout was dismissed as
impractical, given the number of communities affected (What do the
communities think? Who exactly was consulted?). Bidwells concluded
that the FCS represents the most viable option to take over ownership
for the public benefit and the HIE board has agreed to begin
negotiations with FCS. The JMT along with other user groups under the
Cairngorm Campaign have produced a position paper on the potential
ownership options.
It is good to see a community-owned trust speak up on an issue that
should be addressed by all CLIs with an interest in crofting. In a
letter to Alisdair Morrison MSP and others, the Bhaltos Community
Trust, Uig in Lewis, asks whether the proposed reforms in
Draft Crofting Reform Bill are there to serve the crofting community
or the designs of the Scottish Executive. Specifically it questions
the opening of crofting to the free market, the development of in-bye
croft land for housing, the role that the Crofters Commission plays
in ensuring the enforcement of existing legislation in relation to
absenteeism, neglected crofts and the agricultural use of crofts.
Congratulations to the Durness Development Group, Northwest
Sutherland, has just had its application accepted for inclusion on
the Register of Community Interests in Land . They successfully
managed to secure the registration without any professional input.
They amended their existing Memorandum & Articles using the
HIE template for Part 2 and did the application and mapping
themselves. Watch out CLU, I believe they are looking to bid for Big
Lottery Fund’s Growing Community Assets contract!
They are hoping to purchase 45 hectares of land surrounding but not
including the iconic Cape Wrath Lighthouse. This is a major draw for
visitors to the area and they would like to secure this for the
community. There are also concerns over the potential MOD interest in
the area, owning significant adjoining property. There are also
several historic ruins (Lloyds Buildings) within the site.
This is not the first CLI undertaken by this community, having had
success in obtaining and converting a building for a multi-use
community facility. They had also considered the purchase of the
Durness Estate but the feasibility study flagged the project as
unviable.
Go to the excellent Durness website for the full story
No sooner is ink dry on the excellent
Common Good Land A Review & Critique, by Andy Wightman & James Perman
under Caledonia Centre for Social Development, highlighting the
total disregard that local authorities have for this valuable
community heritage, and a case reinforcing this hits the news. The
Canongate Community Forum claim the proposed Canongate development
scheme, which includes offices, shops and a five-star hotel, would be
built on Common Good Land belonging to the people of Edinburgh.
Andy Wightman has obtained a century-old map which marks out land to
be held in the "common good". They believe the council may not have
had the right to sell the land on to developer Mountgrange for £2.5m,
or that the proceeds should go to the Common Good Fund.
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Woodlands & Forestry
The Findhorn Foundation and the village of Findhorn are looking to
form a partnership on improving adjoining land .The communities are
looking at a joint development plan for Findhorn Dunes Trust and
Dunelands Ltd an area of some 120 acres currently consisting of
shingle dunes and gorse with some scrubby woodland. It is envisioned
that the development will be largely for amenity use with planned
woodland and open spaces.
A small north-east community is seeking a grant to buy nearly 300
acres of Buchan woodland. Longhill Forest, which lies between the
village of Crimond and the hamlet of Balearn, is on the market for
£125,000 price tag. Members of the Ridinghill Countryside Group hope
to have their application for financial aid from the Scottish Land
Fund ready shortly. The group also hopes to win funding for a
feasibility study on plans to turn the woods into a haven for local
families and visitors. Separate woodland trails could be provided for
horse riders and walkers, as well as tracks through the trees
suitable for wheelchair users.
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Renewable Energy
Gigha Renewable Energy Ltd and The Westray Development Trust were
recently announced as joint winners of the prestigious
Scottish Renewable Energy Industry’s Green Energy Awards
The two winners are clients of the
Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company (HICEC).The chief
executive of HICEC, Nicholas Gubbins, said: “It was great to see
projects which had benefited from HICEC assistance win through to
these prestigious awards. Our help, advice and funding makes a
positive difference and allows significant projects to go ahead.
These communities have demonstrated real innovation in harnessing
renewable energy and show a high level of local community benefit
too. We know there are many more communities out there wanting to get
involved, and we’re here to help.”
The community on Barra and Vatersay are planning to build a windfarm.
Up to three small turbines with a capacity from 200Kv to 3Mw could be
erected on the island’s common grazings which could supply all the
island’s energy needs with additional power possibly exported across
the Sound of Barra to South Uist. An initial feasibility study is
awaiting a decision for funding support from HICEC
THE Scottish Executive is to cut consent fees for new small hydro-
electric and marine developments which do not exceed 10 MW These will
be reduced from £15,000 to £5000 under new legislation.
Plans for Britain's most northerly community wind farm have been
propelled forward with grant funding for a test mast and an
environmental impact assessment (EIA). North Yell Development Company
(NYDC), a charitable business on Shetland's second largest island
want to erect five 850KW wind turbines between the villages of
Gutcher and Cullivoe. Funding for the first stages will come from
HICEC, Shetland Enterprise, Shetland Islands Council and NYDC itself.
It is hoped to employ local people to carry out the different studies
for the EIA. NYDC was originally set up in the 1940s to lobby the
local council for improvements such as piers, roads and housing. Five
years ago they became a charity to be able to apply for public
funding, forcing them to drop such "political" activity. For the
full
story read the Shetland news
Foula, Britain’s most remote island
community will become self-
sufficient in electricity thanks to a £355,000 European Regional
Development Fund grant, the final piece in a £956,000 project.
Foula Electricity Trust is a community-owned and fully renewable
energy scheme that will use wind, water and sun giving Foula a 24-
hour electricity supply for the first time.
Highlands and Islands Energy Company (HICEC) is now producing a bi-
monthly newsletter. The first edition of Community Energy News is
available containing news and updates of renewable energy projects
undertaken by communities in the Highlands and Islands. Contact
Marion if you wish to subscribe.
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Funding & Support
The directors of Sealladh na Beinne Moire, the community land buyout
in South Uist, have been assured that their bid will not be delayed
by the forthcoming change in Lottery funding arrangements. They are
now confident there will be continuity of funding after the Scottish
Land Fund comes under the wing of the Big Lottery Fund in March. The
Big Lottery Fund is due to rollout Growing Community Assets, a new
programme which will continue to support land-based projects across
Scotland.
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Rural Housing Service Conference - 23/24 February Dunkeld
The Community Right to Buy - 8 March Longside near Peterhead.
For upcoming events see website at SCLN Events
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Highland Red Squirrel Project Officer – Forestry Commission Scotland
For the latest employment opportunities see the website at SCLN Jobs
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Natural Heritage in Community Projects - 31st Jan Dundee
Natural Heritage in Community Projects - 7th Feb Cairngorm National
Park
Annual Development Officers Seminar - 16/17 February Inverness
Volunteer Management and Fundraising - 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 March.
Woodland Management - March 6th & 30/31st Dunnet
Natural Heritage and Environment Management - 26th May North Harris
Land users across Scotland can receive a wide variety of training
courses from Scottish Agricultural College (SAC). The SAC was
recently funded by Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme they
are running courses on everything from technology to traditional
skills. Contact your local SAC office to see what course they are
running or to suggest what is needed for your area. The course costs
are assisted.
The CLU is running a series of training programs for community
groups, by community groups. These are open to any community group in
Scotland but are entirely free to those of the HIE area.
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Bits and pieces – Ideas from all over
Partner Community Wanted - Must be in Windy Location!
We are a Community in Central Scotland with a well researched project
to develop a 2 or 3 turbine wind project. We have funds and the
initiative to see this project through.
You are a community located in a wind-rich site in Scotland who
believe that "it’s your wind" and are interested in a community based
initiative that will deliver real resources back into the community
and not just a few crumbs from the big wind developer's table.
Please contact Stew McKenna at:
Kirknewton Community Council
Renewables Sub-Committee
East Lodge
Kirknewton
EH27 8EN
0131 449 7140 for further details.
John Pearce, author of the comprehensive 'Social Enterprise
in Anytown', recently gave a talk titled
The Future of Social Enterprise. Note the key principles; I think
they are a good place for any CLI to focus or to remind themselves of
their priorities.
Carnegie UK Trust has announced another three invitations to tender
for themes on its three-year Rural Action Research Programme (RARP),
which aims to demonstrate and pilot cost-effective community-led
solutions. The experiences of these Action Research projects will
help to shape and influence rural policy.
The latest tenders are:
to young people and those in vulnerable occupations.
Deadline for applications: Friday 20th January 2006
Deadline for applications: Thursday 13th April 2006
Deadline for applications: Thursday 13th April 2006
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What is it about Scotland that attracts the super-rich to buy
Scottish estates like you and I buy baubles. The latest invasion of
Scotland seems to be largely Russian Tsars, the nouveau-rich
oligarchs looking for a bolt hole and a more stable place to bury
their hard-earned wealth. I don’t have anything particularly against
the Russians anymore than I do the previous waves of Dutch, Danish
English, Arab, Swiss, Swedish or American land-owners. And don’t get
me wrong I think Scotland has plenty to attract all classes of
visitors, a beautiful, wild, spacious and historic land. But why this
large-scale land-ownership in Scotland?
Historically we missed the boat in the 18th & 19th centuries when
European social revolutions often involved agrarian reform with land
redistribution. This has left Scotland with one of the most massive
land-ownership imbalances in the world (7% population owns 84% of the
land, oft quoted – see Who Owns Scotland for details about
landownership in Scotland).
We now have in place a system of land redistribution under Part 2 of
the Land Reform Act allowing communities the not so radical right of
pre-emption (though crofting communities under Part 3 have the
absolute right-to-buy). The Scottish Land Fund has perhaps been even
more successful in lubricating the agenda along, by supplying a means
of compensating these hard done by outgoing landowners on the back of
a poor tax (sorry I mean the entirely discretionarily-spent lottery
windfall!). What is missing, though, is some form of discouragement
to becoming a large landowner, to assist the end the land speculation
and romantically-minded robber barons seeking their Brigadoon. Other
countries have achieved this by various means; restricting the amount
of land that can be owned by any individual; by insisting on
residency or citizenship criteria; or by taxing this land as
business. Or we can do nothing and continue down this gentle path,
and who knows in another hundred years or so, a more equitable land-
ownership distribution will have just happened - or not.
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Featured CLI – Strathfillan Community Development Trust
The full story see SCLN
Featured CLI
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For relative links, resources or community groups see the respective
links at SCLN Links, SCLN Resources or SCLN Community Groups
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* Correction *
In a previous newsletter I reported "The Land Reform Act does allow
for registration for up to 8 weeks after the sale is announced."
The act, if fact, doesn't put any limit on the period for
registration, allowing registration up to the signing of missives or
granting of an option. Thanks Andrew for keeping me straight.
This newsletter has been generously funded by
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE),
Lomond & Rural Stirling Leader+
and North Highland Leader+
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--------------------------------Disclaimer---------------------------
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are for general
information and do not represent those of the Community Land Unit,
Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Lomond & Rural Stirling Leader+ or
North Highland Leader+
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