Islanders have voted overwhelmingly to turn their backs on what would have been Scotland's first hostile community buyout, and pursue instead the amicable purchase of the Pairc Estate on Lewis for £500,000.
A breakthrough is in prospect after nine years of near deadlock, which saw the Scottish Government's land reform legislation tested for human rights infringements in the Court of Session.
Barry Lomas, the Warwickshire-based accountant who owns the 26,800-acre estate in the southeast of the island, had claimed he was being forced to sell his island in revenge for the Highland Clearances.
His court action failed and he has since made an offer to the Local Residents of South Lochs and other members of Pairc Trust who met in Gravir on Thursday evening. Of the 60 people present, 56 voted in favour, with four abstentions, to draw up the necessary legal documentation to purchase the land and interposed lease from the Pairc Estate for half a million pounds.
The lease is in respect of a planned windfarm.
Angus McDowall, chairman of Pairc Trust, outlined the terms of an amicable purchase negotiated, and the alternative of asking the Scottish Government use its legal powers to force through the purchase. He said that although an amicable purchase for £500,000 would likely be more expensive, Pairc Trust members were confident that it could be 100% funded by the Scottish Land Fund, Western Isles Council and their existing resources.
An amicable purchase also offered quicker and more certain purchase, community ownership of almost the whole estate, and more control over the lease for renewable energy development, with a much higher return to the community, he said.
However, the deal reportedly would not include a site in Gravir earmarked for an electricity subsea cable converter station, if a new interconnector is finally laid to the mainland to transmit green energy from the islands.
It is understood that progress from the previous stand-off, has been aided by David Cameron, chairman of Community Land Scotland (CLS), acting in a personal capacity as an honest broker.
CLS is the umbrella organisation for the community owners of over 500,000 acres such as Eigg and Gigha.
Peter Peacock, its policy director of community, said: "To get this far has required a great deal of determination by the community, and latterly all parties have been able to make progress through a process of brokered discussions.
"This is a good example of how a process of independently facilitated discussions could help many more communities now and in years to come and it is why CLS has been advocating the creation of a land agency which would have a function of helping discussions between communities and landowners to secure more land transfers into community ownership."
Mr Lomas said he would comment once had been fully briefed by the Pairc Trust.
Local councillor Philip McLean said: "Although there will be further dialogue with the local community on the detail, the decision taken last night clears the way to engage with the landlord on an amicable basis."
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