Land Fund will empower Scottish rural communities

Tuesday, 21 February 2012 00:08
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The announcement of a £6million land fund to enable more rural communities to buy their land has been welcomed by today. 

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson launched the scheme at the Galson Estate in Lewis where locals took part in a successful buyout five years ago.

Mr Stevenson said such deals can "bring tremendous benefits both to communities themselves and Scotland as a whole".

He praised the Galson Estate as a "fantastic example of what a community buyout can achieve.  Land ownership is key to building independent, resilient rural communities and creating a sense of confidence and community empowerment.

"That's why the Scottish Government continues to fully support buyouts and is committed to providing opportunities for rural communities to acquire land."

Caithness Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP Rob Gibson said the fund, which will be delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the BIG Lottery fund, will give communities the means to help shape their own future and stand on their own two feet.

Mr Gibson, convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs Committee, continued:

"This news will be welcomed by aspirational communities the length and breadth, not just of my constituency, but across rural Scotland. I have long argued for a new land fund and am particularly happy to see this SNP government delivering on it, especially during some of the toughest economic times that we have faced."

"Allowing communities the chance and means to take control of their destiny is key to a vibrant, fair and sustainable future. The land fund is a way to help them do that, so today's announcement is testament to the Scottish Governments belief that local community ownership delivers positive results for the local area and country as a whole."

"Communities still want the chance to take over their own affairs and this fund will help them on their way. The appetite for local control is growing in many communities that I represent - there is a mood that they can do things for themselves and need not be held back by others."

"Land reform and local empowerment are two of the core beliefs of the Scottish government. I am glad that they have acted on those principles with today’s announcement and look forward to putting the case for more community control and ownership in the years to come.

Comments  

 
# K Mackay 2012-02-22 02:29
Great news, we're definitely a nation on the right track :)
 
 
# Arbroath1320 2012-02-22 02:34
Oh the joy of having a government whose raison detre is to work for the people of Scotland!
 
 
# colin8652 2012-02-22 06:51
I have long believed that the system of estates in Scotland is at the heart of rural stagnation in Scotland.. Absentee or incompitent or frankly lazy land owners are depriving energetic motivated people from creating a more robust and productive rural econnomy by allowing huge tracts of land to be used for shooting wee birdies with big guns in order to allow themselves to feel superior to somethin. They claim to provide jobs through this bloodlust,but the jobs created are insignificant to the jobs that could be created if the large estates were broken up. Most of highland Scotland is sitting doing bu##er all, Its time to put the land back to use for the good of the Scottish people. I've promised myself that if i ever win the lottery, i will make a career out of buying estates and breaking them up.
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-22 10:39
Good News on the land front. We need independence to sort out the issue properly.
Check out Andy Wightman's new book "The Poor had no Lawyers".
The kids should be getting this at school.
 
 
# call me dave 2012-02-22 16:53
I welcome initiatives such as these as it consolidates my belief that at last we have people in the SG who are working for Scotland and it's people, ALL of them.

Why so few own so much land on private estates & Crown Estates creaming of monies that should be ploughed back in for the betterment of Scotland are important matters as is re-foresting in certain parts using the correct types of tree and all that - and all that depends on a vote for independence in 2014.

Good news story.
 
 
# Caadfael 2012-02-22 17:06
This is a great blog on one man's work on his croft, would that there were room for many more to follow his example!
lifeattheendoftheroad.wordpress.com
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-23 13:36
Excellent Caedfael, cynics/experts who say windfarms don't work should view this crofters blog.
 
 
# pmcrek 2012-02-23 09:43
Its a great initiative, but to be frank, I fail to see why people domiciled here, should have to pay for what is ostensibly their own communities that were stolen from them.
 
 
# mato21 2012-02-23 14:08
About 20years ago a friend of ours a crofter asked to buy his land.The landowner( a Dutchman) first posed the question why would you want to do that? thereafter went on to say ok it will cost you £80;000 Our friend was able (when he regained his composure as he had lived all his life on this croft) to point out his rights under the crofters act that all he was required to pay was the equivalent of 15years rent so he would pay £1500 as his rent was £100 a year ( if it wasn't the crofters act or if the number of years are wrong I apologise) It was so long ago but the figures are correct The croft was purchased for the stated price
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-23 14:25
You're right mato I think it's fourteen times the rent, but a group of crofters on an estate exercising this individual right to buy, don't get the mineral or sporting rights if I'm not mistaken.
Amhuinsuidhe? on Harris went to the crofters on favourable terms but the laird kept the rights. Sporting rents can be the difference between success & failure and provide employment.
If a community is to grow and prosper the people need control without the dead hand of a laird, however benevolent.
 
 
# mato21 2012-02-23 14:38
Thanks Coky This was just an individual croft


He shot deer on his land (we've had some) whether he was entitled to or not I have no idea He always said he was entitled to shoot anything on his land Maybe the Dutchman was not too clued up
 
 
# cokynutjoe 2012-02-23 14:47
mato, he would be allowed to shoot marauding deer on his ground I think, but not allowed to make a business of it.
The definition of a croft is supposedly "A small piece of land surrounded by legislation!"
 

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