Western Isles MSP attends Carloway buyout meeting

Western Isles  MSP, Alasdair Allan, last night attended a public meeting in Breasclete at which the options for a potential community buyout of the Carloway Estate were discussed.

The meeting voted overwhelmingly to proceed to the next stage of the buyout process, which involves consultants preparing a feasibility study on the best way forward.

Alasdair Allan commented:

“Last night’s meeting was extremely useful, with some very thoughtful questions being put to the panel. Whether the Carloway Estate, which stretches from Callanish to Carloway, is bought by the community is very much a question for the people who live on the estate themselves to decided.

“Sandra Holmes from Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s Land Unit was able to set out the next stage in the process. When a feasibility study becomes available, the community will have a clearer picture of how viable community ownership would be, and until after then there is no commitment to press ahead.

“However, it was very clear from the contribution of those at the meeting, which voted 49 to 3 in favour of moving on to the next stage, that an appetite now exists to look at community ownership seriously.

“Ultimately any decision to purchase will come down to a ballot of residents, but in the meantime I am very happy to provide any assistance I can to the steering group, which was established last night, to develop this exciting project.”

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