WHEN Ulva, off the west coast of Mull, was put up for sale recently, attendant publicity extolled the chance to have “an island of your own” and become a “real-life Lord of the Isles”. This dream was offered, even though Ulva already has six permanent residents, and there are nine residential properties other than the B-listed “big hoose”, church, restaurant/tearoom, and farm buildings.
Estate agents said the island would suit “lifestyle buyers”, privacy seekers and those who like shooting deer. It was, they added, “for those that have the wherewithall”, by which they meant £4.25 million. Now the North West Mull Community Woodland Company wants to raise that sum in a community buyout, and those who already have the wherewithall will have to wait eight months to see if the group is successful.
There is the technical matter of the community interest not being registered before the property was put on the market. Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham will have to decide whether she can consider this a late buyout application. We trust she will.
Sir Walter Scott’s “Ulva dark” that guards Staffa is a special place. It now presents a special opportunity for the Scottish Government to show its land reform provisions can transform the island. The buyout group has exciting plans. It will hopefully get the chance to implement them.
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