He is one of the country’s largest landowners with property covering thousands of acres across Scotland. Now the Duke of Buccleuch is helping to boost people power after agreeing to the transfer of land to a community group in the Scottish Borders.
Buccleuch – which comprises the business interests of the Buccleuch Family – has gifted the land from its Borders Estate to Newcastleton & District Community Trust.
The area encompasses a range of amenity sites in the village of Newcastleton and will enable the community’s plans to utilise the land just a few miles from the Border with England.
The agreement, after months of talks, has been warmly welcomed.
Barbara Elborn, Secretary of Newcastleton & District Community Trust, said: “This is a delightful and historic moment for local people.
“We have had very constructive discussions with Buccleuch about land use and ownership in the area and we look forward to progressing our plans.
“We thank them and the Scottish Land Fund for their help and support to enable the community to move forward with its development plans.”
The land involved includes Polysport - a multisport pitch and fitness gym - a golf course and The Holm show fields.
These sites have already been under long-term use by the community, which numbers around 750 people.
Formal transfer of ownership will allow the trust to find increased community uses for the land and look at potential improvements of the facilities. In addition, a telecommunications mast site has been included to provide the community with an income.
The agreement comes as Buccleuch continues negotiations for the sale of substantial areas of land to community groups, including Langholm Moor. Newcastleton & District Community Trust, meanwhile, is continuing to progress plans for a prospective purchase of land in the south of Scotland.
Their application has been submitted to the Scottish Land Fund ahead of a decision due in May.
Welcoming the latest development, Edward Morris, Buccleuch Estate manager, Borders Estate, said: “We are delighted to see this transfer of land taking place and we wish the community trust every success.”
Mr Morris added: “We have been in discussions for some time with groups around Newcastleton and Langholm regarding their aspirations for the local area and we are committed to helping community groups realise their aspirations where we can.”
The Buccleuch estates cover more than 215,000 acres of agricultural, forest and amenity land in Scotland, including more than 500 properties.
Its Borders Estate was formed in September 2018 following the merger of Eskdale & Liddesdale and Bowhill Estates.
It includes 127,000 acres stretching from the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys into Dumfries and Galloway, and to the Border with England.
Buccleuch announced in May last year that it intended to sell a 25,000 acre landholding including Langholm Moor, following a review of land on its Borders Estate.
The area, which was expected to sell for more than £20 million, stretches from Auchenrivock in the south to Hartsgarth in the north, and is used for farming and forestry as well as an extensive moorland habitat.
The transfer of amenity land from Bucceuch to Newcastleton & District Community Trust extends to 102 acres. Built following the land clearances in the 1790s, when people were forced to move from Old Castleton village,
Newcastleton has a vibrant cultural life and hosts a highly regarded traditional music festival every year.
It has also emerged as an increasingly important location on the Scottish biking circuit, with nearby Newcastleton Forest home to one of the 7stanes mountain bike centres.
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