Islanders given 'last chance' to regenerate ailing community

Islanders are meeting to consider whether to stage a community buyout of the last major private estate on the Isle of Harris.

The opportunity is being described as the last chance to regenerate the ailing island community of South Harris.

Local people are considering whether to go-ahead with a buyout of the 10,000-acre Bays of Harris estate.

If the sale goes ahead, it means the whole of Harris would be owned by the community.

A buyout could give residents a chance to take control of the area, which is struggling to cope with a lack of young people and employment.

Alan Ross, of South Harris Community Council, said: "Everybody is worried about the lack of jobs for youngsters and for me personally, I think a buyout would at least give us the opportunity of taking it into our own hands to create jobs, particularly for youngsters."

Neighbouring buyout estates like North Harris and West Harris, as well as the proposed Scalpay takeover, have enjoyed a new drive for regeneration and development once the land was under communal ownership.

David Cameron, of Community Land Scotland, said: "Both have concentrated quite heavily on housing - fair enough in West Harris it's still projected people coming in - but they hope to keep their school open, they hope to add a lot to the population.

"North Harris have been involved with eight houses on the way to Stornoway and another two flats in the village. They wouldn't have been there if the community hadn't bought the land."

Residents will meet on Thursday night to discuss the proposed takeover.

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