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Isle of Harris community £1m cash boost to buy large area of island
Isle of Harris community £1m cash boost to buy large area of island
Residents on the Isle of Harris are one step closer to acquiring a 27,181-acre estate after the community was handed a £1million cash boost to help secure a decade-long sale. The community are in talks to buy out the privately-owned Bays of Harris Estate - a large area in the south of Harris and the Isle of Berneray. The Scottish Land Fund awarded £1,082,680 to the not-for-profit company Bays of Harris Community Estate Limited (BoHCEL) to help the community complete the purchase. The funding is one of six cash awards totalling £2,197,924 which have been awarded to communities across Scotland and will be used to tackle housing shortages and depopulation in the area. Euan Galloway, chair of BoHCEL, said: “We would like to thank the many people and organisations whose support, commitment and hard work have made this achievement possible. “We now look forward to completing the purchase of the estate on behalf of the community in the coming months.” Discussions surrounding the area, home to around 2,050 people, have been ongoing since 2012 but are due to conclude by the end of the year. The Estate was formed in 1925 when Lewis and Harris were split into lots and sold following the death of the previous proprietor, Lord Leverhulme. It was then purchased by current owners the Hitchcock family. Other awards include: Loch Ewe Community Enterprise - £345,663 to buy the Bac Dubh industrial site in Poolewe to establish a multi-use community business park. North Sutherland Community Forest Trust - £109,745 award to purchase a log cabin and area of surrounding land at Borgie Forest. Morvern Community Woodlands - £459,650 to buy 232 acres of land at Lochaline which will be developed as woodland crofts. Shetland’s Voe Community Development Association - £106,780 to buy a former sail repair workshop and Quarter Community Hub - £93,406 to buy a historic church in Quarter, South Lanarkshire. Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary, Gillian Martin, said the fund was supporting communities. “It’s especially welcome to see the Bays of Harris purchase conclude after many years of hard work,” she said. “It shows that perseverance does pay off, and I wish all the projects the best and look forward to hearing about their progress.”
Residents on the Isle of Harris are one step closer to acquiring a 27,181-acre estate after the community was handed a £1million cash boost to help secure a decade-long sale.
The community are in talks to buy out the privately-owned Bays of Harris Estate - a large area in the south of Harris and the Isle of Berneray.
The Scottish Land Fund awarded £1,082,680 to the not-for-profit company Bays of Harris Community Estate Limited (BoHCEL) to help the community complete the purchase.
The funding is one of six cash awards totalling £2,197,924 which have been awarded to communities across Scotland and will be used to tackle housing shortages and depopulation in the area.
Euan Galloway, chair of BoHCEL, said: “We would like to thank the many people and organisations whose support, commitment and hard work have made this achievement possible.
“We now look forward to completing the purchase of the estate on behalf of the community in the coming months.”
Discussions surrounding the area, home to around 2,050 people, have been ongoing since 2012 but are due to conclude by the end of the year.
The Estate was formed in 1925 when Lewis and Harris were split into lots and sold following the death of the previous proprietor, Lord Leverhulme. It was then purchased by current owners the Hitchcock family.
Other awards include: Loch Ewe Community Enterprise - £345,663 to buy the Bac Dubh industrial site in Poolewe to establish a multi-use community business park.
North Sutherland Community Forest Trust - £109,745 award to purchase a log cabin and area of surrounding land at Borgie Forest.
Morvern Community Woodlands - £459,650 to buy 232 acres of land at Lochaline which will be developed as woodland crofts.
Shetland’s Voe Community Development Association - £106,780 to buy a former sail repair workshop and Quarter Community Hub - £93,406 to buy a historic church in Quarter, South Lanarkshire.
Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary, Gillian Martin, said the fund was supporting communities.
“It’s especially welcome to see the Bays of Harris purchase conclude after many years of hard work,” she said.
“It shows that perseverance does pay off, and I wish all the projects the best and look forward to hearing about their progress.”