A HIGHLAND community is set to buy out a multi-million-pound 9000 acre estate with the help of a philanthropist.
The Coigach Community Development Company (CCDC) had organised an open discussion about the community’s right to buy the Badentarbat Estate in Coigach, Wester Ross, when it hit the market last week.
The estate includes the sale of the stunning Achnahaird beach and four of the neighbouring Summer Isles for £2.7 million.
Philanthropist Ian Wace has now offered to donate the money for residents to buy the land which community leaders say will help them build much-needed affordable homes in the area for generations to come.
Wace, who owns the largest of the Summer Isles Tanera Mor, has offered to donate the £2.7m asking price for the estate, on behalf of the Coigach community.
He would retain the 12% not in crofting tenure.
More than 100 people attended the meeting which ended with a vote overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the millionaire financier’s offer.
Sandra Holmes, a representative of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who travelled to Coigach for the meeting has more than 20 years of involvement in Community Land transfers.
According to the CCDC Holmes said the community have found themselves in a historically unprecedented situation as the offer from Wace could save them decades of work.
Last year the CCDC took possession of a three-acre site in the village of Achiltibuie to develop affordable housing which took volunteers 12 years to complete.
CCDC chairman, Richard Willams, has said the group is hugely grateful for the opportunity to bring the estate back under community ownership.
He said: “Coigach Community Development Company are delighted by the positive outcome of last night’s public meeting held in the Coigach Community Hall.
“The event concluded with a vote as to whether CCDC should proceed with the opportunity, which met with a resounding 90% of those eligible to vote in favour of the proposal.
“CCDC are hugely grateful to Ian Wace for enabling this incredible opportunity for the community and we look forward to working with Ian and his team over the coming months to make this a reality.
“CCDC have committed to working with all the Estate’s crofting townships to explore a transfer of the crofting title into their ownership, should they wish to do so.
“We look forward to working in partnership with the crofting tenants, with Summer Isles Enterprises, and the wider community to realise the multitude of benefits now possible from this fabulous opportunity over the months and years ahead.”
Chief executive of CCDC, Laura Hamlet, added that they now have a generational chance to create places to live and work for families in the area.
She said: This was a truly historic and special moment to be part of. There was a hush across the room when the school roll of just eight pupils was mentioned. Building more housing in Coigach is our only chance of keeping our community alive and without a willing landowner, this is impossible.
“Now we have a generational chance to create places to live and work for families. I’m thrilled to be taking on this challenge with the excellent CCDC staff team.
“Offers of support have been flooding in from Community Land Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, even a Member of the Scottish Parliament.
“Most importantly, communities elsewhere in Scotland who have taken on the challenge of owning their own land have offered to help us. It’s really touching to be part of this network of communities making history and feel their support.”
The outcome of the offer has yet to be confirmed.
