Fears of ‘economic clearance’ in the Western Isles as young people are priced out of housing market

And an open letter is calling for urgent action to prevent the “economic clearance” of the islands.

Local young people who have been putting in offers for houses are finding cash-rich buyers are jumping in front of them to snap up properties – often without even viewing them or even visiting the islands.

The letters signatories – including crofters, business people and Gaelic campaigners – want to see a trial carried out in Uist where any house coming on the market is advertised locally, with members of the community given first refusal.

The letter says: “Demographic projections for the islands, including the recent statistics on average population age, show an ever ageing and shrinking picture for the Highlands and Islands. The vitality of our island communities is reliant on support to our younger generations and any effort to help them must be made.

“Recent research in Uist has shown clearly a great increase in young individuals and families moving to and returning to the islands. But they, and the many more who wish they could likewise move to the islands, find that housing is now forming the primary inhibiting factor.”

It goes on: “The number of young people wishing to return home following Covid-19 is continuing to rise, especially when connectivity is enabling people to work from homes in rural areas more than ever.

“But just as the infrastructural disparity between rural and urban areas is being reconciled, finally opening up a huge array of work opportunities in the Highlands and Islands, a new barrier is halting this progress.

“Addressing the housing situation would allow for communities to retain far more working professionals now that the broadband coverage is growing and with remote working becoming the preferred working model for many companies.”

Pàdruig Morrison, crofter, PhD researcher, musician and An Lòchran board member, is one of the letter’s signatories. He said part-time residencies could not sustain the islands’ communities.

Pàdruig added: “As one young islander said this week, this is economic clearance.

“Locals are unable to buy houses in their communities and are being kept out against their will.

“The fabric of our Gaelic language, our crofting, and our Highlands and Island communities is being unwoven.”

The letter highlights that the situation in the Outer Hebrides is “on a knife edge”, adding that which has already occurred in some Highland and Island communities is just about to materialise in the Western Isles.

The letter states: “As the communities of Tiree and West Harris find themselves with 40 per cent of their housing stock as holiday homes, we the undersigned believe this it not the best way for our communities to thrive and therefore are determined to halt the current trajectory of spreading this statistic to all of the Highlands and Islands.

“We believe that policies and actions need to be implemented immediately so as to avoid the unwanted situations which have arise around the country.

“Part-time residencies do not sustain our communities and we should therefore ensure that houses are bought with the intention of being a primary residency.”

The average purchase price for residential properties in the Western Isles has increased from £65,189 in 2004 to £123,048 last year, according to the Registers of Scotland.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP, said the affordability and availability of housing for young families was a key concern and he was worried about the prospect of the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating these problems.

He added: “It does seem that there has been increase in outside interest in the island housing market, and this is putting young families at even more of a disadvantage.

“I have even heard of people refusing to put their house on the open market at the moment for fear that it may weaken the community or be turned into a holiday home.

“The impact of the pandemic in terms of setting a trend towards home working could be really beneficial for the islands, and we also certainly need new people to move here from elsewhere.

“However, we need to make sure house prices do not accelerate long-standing trends around depopulation.

“There are no easy answers or quick-fixes, but I look forward to raising some of these issues in the Scottish Parliament in the near future.”

Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil commended those behind the letter, saying it was important that people engaged with critical issues in their lives.

He said: “There are two points I would raise, the first is what specific policies could we use and does the Scottish Parliament have powers to do these or not?

“Secondly, we cannot fail to notice that we have a lot of land round about us but land that is difficult to access for various reasons.

“So therefore our population is falling and we see other islands near us such as the Faroe Islands where population has doubled and more over the last 100 years.

“Are there are other things that should be happening which aren’t happening that could enable people to get access to essentially agricultural non-productive land - bog and rock in other words?

“I am glad that this conversation has started. I hope it won’t be a one-day wonder, it is something that should be engaged with over a period of time.”

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar acknowledged that access to housing for young people has always been a challenge on the islands, particularly for those wanting to get on to the housing ladder.

A spokesman said: “The Comhairle welcomes the initiative shown by this group of young people and would be happy to work with them to look at possible solutions.

“The Comhairle already works very closely with Hebridean Housing Partnership and the More Homes Division of the Scottish Government, to deliver the Affordable Housing Programme and at present there are over 200 new homes in various stages of development throughout the islands.

“This includes homes for first time buyers.”