Raasay consultation opens
26 April 2013
A consultation has opened to gain community views on the future management of the sporting rights on the Island of Raasay, which is currently owned by the Scottish Ministers. It follows the controversial loss of the sporting lease by the crofters of Raasay and the subsequent high profile U-Turn by the Scottish Government which returned the lease to the crofters.
The unpopular decision followed a tendering process where an Ayrshire based sporting company secured the right to the sport on the island. They withdrew following an outcry and the Government later compensated them.
Inksters reported on the issue in February.
All those islanders on the electoral role will be issued with the consultation paper, which gives a menu of three options.
Those options are:
- A long term let of up to 175 years granted to a local community group – either the Raasay Crofters’ Association or another community group, which could include the crofters. (The lease would only be up to 175 years as any longer than this would allow the leaseholders to convert the lease to full ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.)
- Putting the lease on the open market with the winning bidder being required to demonstrate community benefit
- Exercising the right to buy over the land (which would include rights over the lease)
It is unlikely that any outcome other than the lease remaining with the crofters would be welcomed given the political history of the issue. It will be interesting to see whether the community have the appetite to initiate a community buy-out from their Government landlord. They could do so under the Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Act 1997, which enables a properly constituted community body to purchase the croft land they live and work on, when the land is owned by the Scottish Ministers. The Act also makes provision for giving financial assistance towards the administrative cost of such a transfer.
For further information on the community right to buy for croft land and crofting estates, Inksters can assist you. Contact
Brian Inkster or
Eilidh Ross for more information.
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