Island community in line for first state buyout

AN ISLAND crofting community could become the first to buy out land owned by the state, more than a decade after legislation made it possible.

Some 113 tenants on the 4,500-acre Borve, Luskentyre and Scaristavore Estates in the south- west of Harris have been investigating a takeover of land where they live and work. The issue was raised yesterday with Michael Russell, the environment minister, during a debate on the future of crofting in the parliament.

Mr Russell also met Alasdair Allan, the Western Isles MSP, and representatives of the Big Lottery Fund, which has helped communities buy land from private landlords.

The government confirmed it would be the first sale of state-owned crofting land under the Crofting Estates Act of 1997.

This was introduced to transfer nearly 1,400 government-owned crofts covering more than 100,000 hectares to community-led trusts. However, since then none of the estates has been taken over, largely as the government is seen as a good landlord.

A government spokeswoman said, under the act, the land must be sold at commercial rates.