Community Consultation Day on buy out of Bute Forest
published this on 1:40 pm, Friday, 15th January, 2010Business| Bute| Community Buy Out| Community News| Environment| Events| Tourism activities | Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping |
| January 17, 2010 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 4:00 pm |
Bute Community Land Company has got the go-ahead from the Scottish Government to register a community interest in 1700 acres of land at Rhubodach Forest in the north of Bute. This registration opens the procedure for a community buy of the forest land.
The community company’s case is that acquiring this forest land will:
- create opportunities for local employment
- create opportunities for new leisure and recreation facilities
- improve the area’s biodiversity and wildlife
- enable sustainable energy generation.
- develop social cohesiveness and sense of belonging of the community
- transform the social, economic and environmental prospects of the island
The Government’s response to the application sees the proposal as: ‘contributing positively to the sustainable development of the land and the local community through the provision of community facilities for both locals and tourists and promoting the general well-being of the community’.
In the time between submitting the application and hearing that it had been approved, Bute Community Land Company‘s directors have been talking to a variety of relevant special interest groups like cyclists, walkers, bird watchers and those interested in commercial forestry. They have also have also made presentations to pupils at Rothesay Academy, engaging the interest of the island’s young people.
Additionally they have identified and have engaged Masterplanners to carry out a full feasibility study and lead the community consultation process.
This starts in Sunday 17th January, with a Community Consultation Day at Rothesay Paviliion, running from 10.00am – 4.00pm. All the views of all of the residents of Bute are important and the community company wants to hear them.
John McGhee QC, Chair of BCLC says: ‘This is an historic moment for the people of Bute. It provides them with a never-to-be-repeated opportunity to own a significant part of the island themselves and to use it to help regenerate the island’s fortunes.
‘It will be the residents of Bute who decide how the land should be managed and how it will be used for the benefit of both residents and tourists’.
BCLC is confident that it will achieve 100% funding for the purchase. and John McGhee adds: ‘This is definitely not a case of asking residents to put their hands in their own pockets’ – although we would say that, even if it was, why should a community not contribute to buying its own future?
The Community Consultation day will lead to a ballot of all the voters in the island in early February.
Bute is to be congratulated for this energetic will to take charge of tis own future in this way. The value of land supercedes its monetary worth by a long way. It’s where you stand. Ownership brings roots, commitment and belonging. Bute will grow with this initiative.
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January 15th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
who is providing the ” 100% funding ” ?
January 16th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Cost of the buy out is £1.2 million, 95% from a Scottish goverment fund ( European money ? ) and 5% raised from the Community.
January 16th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
thats 95% tax payer funding then . no wonder there is not enough money for road repairs etc etc
January 16th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
that will be 95% of UK / European tax payer funding. I have no with problem with UK / European money being spent in Argyll and Bute. You will find that money for these sorts of projects are ring fenced and cannot be spent in other areas, no matter much they are needed.
The poor state of the roads has been an on going problem for many years. It has not just suddenly appeared.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
develop social cohesian – that’s a joke this proposal will bring division and acrimony to Bute
January 16th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
There is no point in responding to kintyre1′s infantile posts
January 17th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I have just returned from the presentation and I was hughly impressed by what I saw. Some great idea’s from both the BCLC team and members of the public.
I hope it does work out and they can get it off the ground as it has the potential be of great benefit to the econmy of Bute.
January 17th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
pity the snp are to remove the hopes of many to enjoy “a sense of belonging ” by ending the successful right to buy policy on council houses
January 24th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
The asking price is £1.3m. offer are well inexcess £1.5m+. This areas is essentially a commercial crop to be managed and operated accordingly. What happens after the purchase who is going to finance the business; buildings machinery etc etc. The management of this land does not preclude the ability to access and enjoy it. This is a recipe for wasting future tax payers money and for delegation by committee. The state is not there to realise the grandious dreams of a few.