Steve's Newsletters
2005 August
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- Wednesday, 31 August 2005 00:00 Steve McCombe
Scottish Community Land Newsletter
August 2005
The Scottish Community Land Network (SCLN) aims to encourage community
land initiatives (CLIs) throughout Scotland by the promotion, sharing
of experience and networking of Scottish CLI groups.
Hi all,
I’m roving correspondent this week, reporting from CLIs around
Scotland. I’m off for two weeks holiday to the Small Isles. By
coincidence Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna represent a microcosm of land
ownership in Scotland.
Enjoy your holidays.
Cheers
Steve
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News
The communities of Mallaig and Morar are being offered the chance to
purchase 14,000 acres of the “Twelve Penny Lands of Morar” by its
present landlord Sir Cameron MacIntosh, who intends to keep 1500 acres
around his estate house at remote Tarbert. After a recent public
meeting with representatives of the estate owners, local crofters and
the community council, the community showed clear support for the local
crofting family of Bracara to pursue their right to buy under the
Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993. Sir Cameron MacIntosh instigated this
offer suggesting that this family right to buy would spoil the
viability of the whole estate. Mairi MacLean, who chaired the meeting,
said “In general people agree the crofters have the right to buy. It is
a bit early yet to say what the community feels about a takeover. We
would want to see the crofters’ situation out of the way before
entering into any negotiations about buy-outs. Any community buy-out
would be subsequent to the crofters’ buy-out and be for whatever is
left of the estate.”
A Bonar Bridge community group is seeking the possibility of buying the
fishing rights to a section of the river that runs through the village.
It is open to interpretation about whether or not this type of purchase
is deemed to fall under the Land Reform Act. Certainly if the riparian
land strip were offered for sale then the fishing rights could be
included. This is a common practice in urban areas or where land value
is high but not practiced in wild lands of the highlands and islands
fishings.
Local resident Sandy Chalmers, who has led the campaign, is not
disheartened by this and says they will be looking to poll the local
community for their support of this project.
An ambitious £l million community land buyout looks certain to be
launched by campaigners protesting about highly controversial plans to
build a 12,000 homes scheme in the Moray Firth area. An interesting use
of the community right to buy legislation but of course is susceptible
to the same weakness that all communities face; it is only a right of
pre-emption so the land must first be offered for sale. We will be
watching this with interest.
Communities Scotland’s Futurebuilders Scotland Seedcorn Fund, a fund
designed to assist social and community organisations become more
business-like is to assist a number of projects in the Western Isles
including: an award to Lewis Karting Centre for ongoing developments;
Croileagan Eubhal, a preschool provider based in North Uist, to develop
a business plan to allow for future expansion of services and new
premises; the Caladh Trust, an addiction support group based in
Benbecula, to equip a drop-in centre, a conference facility, and sports
and leisure facilities. These will both provide facilities for the
group and be able available for hiring to others supplying the group
with a new revenue source.
On a recent visit to Gigha Malcolm Chisholm, Communities Minister and
William Roe, HIE Chairman announced two awards for the community.
Communities Scotland’s “Futurebuilders Scotland” Seedcorn Fund awarded
£20,000 to buy quarry equipment to allow islanders to source local
stone at a more economical and environmental price. £170,000 was
invested by AIE to upgrade Gigha’s petrol Pumps under the
Scottish Executives Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme.
The Scalpay Island community has recently formed a community trust to
pursue the potential buyout of the historic Eilean Glas Lighthouse a
registered ancient monument. They have registered a community interest
in the property under Part 2 of the Land Reform Act. This property was
recently in the news as a couple was convicted of 5 accounts of fraud
having fraudulently registered as a Charity to fund the lighthouse then
siphoned money from contributors to the charity to their own accounts.
The communities of Penifiler and Heatherfield, of Braes, Skye, are
undertaking a feasibility study of a potential community buyout. This
is following a public meeting earlier this year gave unanimous support
to proceeding down the community ownership path. The community of 80
persons feel that this represents better opportunities for future
generations.
Willie McSporran is to retire as chair of the
Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust. Willie has been in from the beginning,
have guided the community through steering group stage to its
successful buyout in 2002 and for the last three years. His elected
replacement is Jane Rennie, a director of the trust and a native of
Gigha.
The Scottish Land Fund awarded £125,000 to the
Stornoway Angling Association to develop and encourage use of the River
Creed Salmon and trout fishery.
The Assynt Foundation has been awarded over £100,000 by the Scottish
Land Fund for the recruitment of a Development Manager. This post is
seen as crucial by the chairman, Alistair MacAskill “in fulfilling our
aspirations and ensuring that the local community is involved at every
stage”.
The Caithness Cultural Trust is seeking to develop a one-time herring
packing station in historic Lower Pulteneytown, Wick into a multi-
purpose arts centre. The Scottish Community Foundation is funding a
feasibility study into redevelopment of the derelict premises. It hopes
to have the building open as a venue for the Highland Year of Culture
in 2007.
Easdale Community Trust put a questionnaire to the community to seek
support for some of its proposals for development of its recent
purchase of the Easdale harbour and adjoining lands. These include a
waste management and recycling project, sewerage treatment, renovation
of the harbour and development of the island’s museum. The response of
the poll indicated community support of between 78% and 96% for the
developments.
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Energy
The Argyll Lomond and Island Energy Agency (ALIenergy) has been awarded
£15,000 as an Energy Champion by Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy.
ALIenergy promotes community renewable energy projects in the Argyll,
Lochaber and Skye areas. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Chairman or
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Energy Development Officer.
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Woodlands & Forestry
A well established network already exists for CLIs with woodland or
forestry interests at Community Woodlands Association. Checkout their
website and see if this is an association to support your organisations
needs. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further info.
The first phase of the most comprehensive survey ever undertaken of
Scotland's native woods and forests is under way. Surveyors from
Forestry Commission Scotland and Forest Research will spend the next
few years scouring brae, glen, moor, field and town to discover exactly
how much native woodland Scotland has, what types of native woods they
are, what condition they are in, where they are, and a range of other
information. Click here the full story.
A proposed community buyout for 370 hectares of Forestry Commission
Forest is being progressed by the Broadford Environmental Group. A
meeting is scheduled for the wider community to have its say in the
consultation process of the buyout. A feasibility study has been
contracted to Willie MacGhee of the Borders Forestry Trust. Amongst the
many possibilities being mooted are: a public events space, a campsite,
and further native tree plantings.
For communities looking for woodland or forestry based CLIs look no
further than the new National Forestry Land Scheme run by the
Forestry Commission Scotland. Basically they are willing to consider
the release of any forestry commission land if it will fit under the
criteria specified by the scheme.
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Futurebuilders Plus
Social Investment Scotland (SIS) announced the creation of a new loan
fund, Futurebuilders Plus, to support social economy enterprises
offering services for community benefit or employing people for job
creation purposes, which retain any surpluses earned to sustain and
develop their activities. This will add to the existing three
Futurebuilders Scotland Funds – Investment, Seedcorn and Learning.
Apply to Communities Scotland for a
Futurebuilders Scotland Investment Grant
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Featured CLI – Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust
The story of the Isle of Eigg is a bit of a fairytale with wicked
landlords, a shining knight and a happy ending. A blessed isle in its
natural environment, it has long been desired by man to harvest its
natural bounty. A cursed history of men though, it has seen many
horrors committed to the indigenous population in the name of
ownership. The reality of course is no fairytale but the community
strives against all the obstacles faced by similar communities
everywhere; Transport, infrastructure and services; viable well age-
balanced populations; lack of developable resources. Against all this
the Trust continues to make tangible progress to the sustainability of
the larger community.
Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust was formed by the community to deal with a
particularly bad case of landlordism. It is a partnership between the
community of Eigg, the Highland Council and the Scottish Wildlife Trust
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. the Trust’s Secretary and guiding hand from the beginning
has written a solid piece detailing their trials and tribulations
leading to community ownership. I can remember very clearly the
announcement that the community had won the island. It was heady days
of spring ’97 and many of the wise and knowledgeable had gathered at
Portree for the then Scottish Crofters Union’s Annual Conference. The
conference theme was land reform. The guest speakers were Lesley
Riddoch and Brian Wilson. Lesley was of course actively supporting the
Eigg buyout and Brian had long been a land reform activist as well as a
shadow minister. It was announced at that conference that the
appointment of John Watt to a new Community Land Unit within HIE to
champion community land ownership. And finally while the conference was
under way the Eigg community announced it had won its battle for the
land.
The Eigg Trust has had many successes over the last eight years and
these are catalogued in its latest progress report. Highlights include:
the completion of a new community multipurpose building within a year
of purchase that includes a tearoom, a shop, a gift shop, public
facilities and office space that has become very much the gathering
point for Eigg; a reorganization of crofting land, doubling the common
grazing and creation of 4 new crofts; the creation of a building
company to undertake the renovation of trust buildings and the gradual
improvement of their tenanted properties; the improvement and
management of the islands environmental interests especially of their
extensive forestry; and the planned integrated community renewable
energy project to supply the whole community.
For further info read This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. excellent “Eigg: The Story of
Island”, gathered partly from the island’s oral traditions. Published
by Birlinn it is currently out of print.
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Bits and pieces – Ideas from all over
A poll commissioned by Responsible Travel ranked Scotland first in
Europe as the eco-destination for wildlife visitors. It is the third
most popular activity after walking and golf for visitors to Scotland.
Scotland ranked ninth overall in the world.
The Mull and Iona Community Trust is sending a representative to
Rothiemurchus Estate to speak to a delegation from Tajikistan looking
at rural diversification and improved agricultural productivity. This
is following a series of groups from all around Scotland and further
afield looking at its diverse achievements of the last seven years.
The John Muir Trust (JMT) and SNH have signed a formal agreement to
enhance and safeguard the wilderness areas of Scotland. Both JMT and
SNH have backed local community ownership to take on guardianship of
wild land to help protect and preserve these areas. JMT and own several
areas of wild land in Scotland and partner several CLIs including the
North Harris Trust, Carrifran Wildwood, Knoydart Foundation,
Nevis Partnership and Assynt Foundation.
The launch of an expanded Croft Entrant Scheme has been welcomed by the
Scottish Crofting Foundation. The scheme - a partnership between the
Crofters Commission, HIE and Argyll & Bute Council - will provide
assistance to both the outgoing and incoming tenant. For further info
Boat of Garten residents are set to celebrate an offer of £212,730 from
the Big Lottery Fund for a new Community Hall, which will answer the
needs of their growing community for many years to come.
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Links
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Lomond & Rural Stirling Leader+
Scottish Executives Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme.
The Scottish Community Foundation
Argyll Lomond and Island Energy Agency
A Guide for the Voluntary Sector to Scottish Executive Grants 2005-06
The Business of Financing Community Initiatives
Scottish Community and Householders Renewables Initiative
Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company
Isle of Gigha Music Festival 2005
Community Woodlands Association
Caledonia Centre for Social Development
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