South Uist land row 16/12/12
►“Land grab” crofting landlord ordered to pay legal costs
Central to the South Uist “land grab” row is an 140-
Murdo Mackenzie of Snishival does not claim ownership of the ruins which was originally
an old mill and later became a parish poorhouse. It was last used as a work depot
for Inverness-
In October, Stòras Uibhist, owners of South Uist, lost its lengthy Scottish Land Court case against the elderly crofter.
For years, the community-
In July 2008, with the acquiescence of the former private owners of South Uist, the Crofters’ Commission granted the parcel of land on Snishival Common Grazings to Mr Mackenzie.
Soon afterwards Stòras Uibhist bought South Uist with vast amounts of public money but failed to make a timely effort to appeal the apportionment decision. However after the deadline passed it decided to try and grab the land back.
It is outsized by a neighbouring 14 acre apportionment neighbours taken out by Stòras chief Angus Macmillan though the Land Court has queried if Mr Macmillan’s is actually entitled to it.
The Land Court has confirmed that Mr Mackenzie is legally entitled to tiny parcel of land surrounding the crumbling mill where he grows fruit and vegetables in polytunnels.
Angus Macmillan tired to block planning permission to site two polytunnels on the ground.
Murdo Mackenzie fell very ill over the stress of the action and the case was postponed until his health improved slightly.
The row went to a three-
Each side are to pay their own lawyer’s bill for an earlier legal debate on the jurisdiction of the Land Court where Stòras hired QC Sir Crispen Agnew.
Stòras Uibhist is the largest community landowner in Scotland. It runs the 93,000 acre estate covering the islands of South Uist, Eriskay and the southern half of Benbecula. The £4.5 million buyout took place in December 2006.