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Pairc land buyout          7/11/10

Western Isles councillor Philip McLean is urging Scotland’s rural affair’s minister Roseanna Cunningham to come to a speedy decision on the Pairc land buyout bid.

Mr Mclean says that local control over the South Lochs would be the catalyst for regeneration.

A community trust has plans to stem depopulation and create local development.
Mr McLean said: ‘Listening to Agnes Rennie state at the Angus Macleod Memorial Lecture that more than two thirds of the population in the Outer Hebrides already live on community owned land really brought it home that now is the time for the people of Pairc to take control of their land too.

Mr Mclean who is the local councillor for the district added: “I call on the Scottish Government to make a quick and positive decision in this regard.”

The Pairc community is waiting on Scottish Ministers to decide the future ownership of the 20,000 acre estate.

The lengthy period set aside for the exchange of submissions has now passed.

The proposed land takeover is a hostile bid - the first under the controversial Land Reform Act - as landlord Barry Lomas is reluctant to sell. He is going to court to try and throw out the buyout application.

Last December, a ballot saw 195 people vote in favour of the takeover with 87 against with a 75% turnout.