At long last – Bays of Harris buyout success​

When finalised, the deal will be the first substantial community buy-out for more than a decade and the long drawn-out negotiations have highlighted the weakness of current legislation behind the crofting community “right to buy”.

While never entirely hostile to a buy-out, the current owners – the Hitchcock family – proved reluctant sellers and it was only last year that agreement in principle was reached, following ballots which showed strong support for a buy-out.

In January of this year, the Scottish Land Fund confirmed that the Bays of Harris Community Estate Ltd’s application has been accepted and the purchase would be “fully fundable”.

Efforts to buy the 33,000 acre crofting estate had continued since 2012. Unusually, the estate is divided into three distinct parts – the Bays, Northton and the island of Berneray.

The Hitchock family have owned it since 1925 when it was sold as a “job lot” in the break-up of the Leverhulme properties at knock-down prices. Agreement in principle was finally reached last year after ballots which showed support for a buy-out in all three parts of the estate.

However, there was further delay when the owners asked for a revaluation from the previous figure of £1.1 million. In the event, this resulted in no significant change and the Land Fund award announced this week amounted to £1,082,680.

A statement from the fund said: “Bays of Harris Community Estate Limited will purchase a 10,927 hectare crofting estate from a private seller. Community ownership will aim to increase, sustain and regenerate this fragile and dispersed community, allowing the community to manage the area and its development”

Euan Galloway, chair of the community estate company, said: “This success has only been made possible through the dedication and support of a great many individuals, organisations and funders over the years.

"We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us reach this point. The Scottish Land Fund's support means we can now move forward with confidence towards completing the purchase by the end of the year."

The award covers the purchase of the Estate, associated legal costs and funding for an estate manager during the first year of community ownership.

Mr Galloway said: “Work is now underway with solicitors and other professional advisers to finalise the remaining legal processes, including detailed mapping of the estate boundaries, with the aim of completing the purchase within the next six months”.

“The company will then hold an Annual General Meeting at which all members—now numbering almost 250—will be invited to attend.

"The current Interim Board will stand down and members will elect a new Board of Directors to lead the Estate into its next chapter and shape its long-term future.

“One of the new Board's first responsibilities will be to appoint an Estate Manager, creating a new local job to oversee the day-to-day management of the Estate and help deliver the community's long-term ambitions.

"Initial funding for the post has been provided by the Scottish Land Fund as part of the award, ensuring the new Board has professional support from the outset.

"The Interim Board’s role is to ensure that the transition to community ownership is carried out in a fair, open and transparent way, giving the new Board a strong democratic mandate to make decisions on behalf of the community”.

John Maher, who chaired the initial committee set up to pursue a buy-out and has remained involved throughout, said: “Looking back over all those years, there were times when it never really felt like it definitely would happen.

"But we played the long game and we’ve got the result. It’s just taken a long time to get there.”