This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
First community buy-outs approved
28/02/2005
Rural communities in Fife and the Highlands are leading
the way in making use of the new Community Right to Buy
under the Scottish Parliament's Land Reform
legislation.
Deputy Environment and Rural Development Minister Lewis
Macdonald today announced approval has been granted to
Crossgates Community Woodland and Newtonhill Trust to buy
registered land.
Mr Macdonald made the announcement during a visit to the
Taft, a 15 hectare woodland, grazing and amenity area at
the village of Crossgates, Fife, which is one of the sites
that could be purchased by locally-based community
bodies.
Newtonhill Woods, a 300 hectare site surrounding
Newtonhill, Inverness-shire, is also on course to become
community owned following Ministerial approval of both
applications under the Community Right to Buy in Part 2 of
the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
Newtonhill Trust and Crossgates Community Woodland now
face the challenge of raising the £900,000 and £150,000
respectively to buy the registered land for the benefit of
the local communities.
Mr Macdonald said:
"These communities have clearly benefited from the new
legislation. Through the Community Right to Buy, the
Scottish Executive is enabling land to be purchased and
managed for the benefit of the people who live and work in
rural communities in both Highland and Lowland
Scotland.
"Giving communities control over the way their land is
managed gives them greater power to shape their own futures
and provides real rights and opportunities to help them
realise their economic ambitions.
"That is why I am pleased to approve the applications
for the local communities to buy the Taft and Newtonhill
Woods. Both applications include plans to ensure the
woodlands can be developed and enjoyed by the local
communities and visitors alike. These plans will also
provide economic opportunities, enhance the environment and
benefit the wider community.
"This will be a challenging and exciting time for the
people of Newtonhill and Crossgates. It is now for the
community bodies to ensure that the necessary steps are
taken to conclude the transfer."
The Land Reform Act was implemented on June 14, 2004.
Part 2 of the Act provides the opportunity for properly
constituted community bodies representing rural areas in
Scotland to register an interest in and buy land when it
comes to be sold. The legislation provides a
right to buy registered land which will
contribute to the sustainable development and well-being of
the local community. Once an interest is registered, the
land cannot be sold without the community's interest being
taken into account.
Further advice on the Community Right to Buy and copies
of the Guidance can be obtained from the Scottish
Executive's Land Reform Branch at Area 1D, Pentland House,
47 Robb's Loan, Edinburgh, EH14 1TY (Tel: 0131 244 6003) or
from our website at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/Land/17063/8276.
The main proposals for furthering the achievement of
sustainable development at the Taft include new paths and
path improvement in the wood with support from the Fife
Ranger Services to benefit this and surrounding communities
and the public in general, creation and retention of skills
in craft, the use of timber and other materials in the Taft
area The community body will also introduce a variety of
educational and leisure activities to the area for the
benefit of people of all ages and introduce methods to
increase the quantity and quality of flora and fauna in the
area.
The main proposals furthering the achievement of
sustainable development at Newtonhill Woods include the
development of wind turbine generators, the creation of a
community-owned forest business, using local timber for
building and fuel, the creation of local full-time
employment through housing construction, woodland
operations, project officer and garden nursery staff. The
community body also hopes to create around 10 affordable
houses to meet an urgent need, expand the woodland path
network linking neighbouring areas and create a
mountain-biking circuit as a design project for the younger
members of the community.