SAVE OUR LAST HOME!
Villagers bid to stop council house’s sale
IT is known as the ‘Jewel of the Highlands’ and is famous as the beat of TV’s Hamish Macbeth
But locals in picturesque Plockton fear it has become a victim of its own success, claiming a boom in holiday lets is eroding the fabric of village life.
They are now urging the cash- strapped l ocal authority not to sell off i ts l ast council house, located in the heart of the area at 14 Harbour Street.
The three-bedroom property became vacant after its tenant, who had lived there for more than 30 years, moved into a care home.
House prices in the Ross- shire village are among the highest in the Highlands – and almost a third of the homes are holiday lets.
Mary Jane Campbell, chairman of Plockton Community Council, said: ‘The vibrant, young population are on the outskirts of the village – they can’t afford to be in the centre.
‘Last year, 13 Harbour Street was sold for £380,000 and number 16 went for £360,000 three years ago. Not many young people can afford those prices on the wages up here. The trouble is, homes are getting bought in Plockton for commercial reasons – it is such an attractive village.’
She believes the holiday lets boom i s being fuelled by the growing popularity of the Isle of Skye, as the Skye Bridge is only a 20-minute drive from the village.
Miss Campbell said: ‘Skye is getting so oversubscribed that visitors come in even greater numbers to Plockton, creating more demand for accommodation.
‘ The perfect solution for us would be for the housing association to buy [14 Harbour Street] or Highland Council to put a family in. It does need a lot of work to bring it up to scratch though.
‘[But] we’ve heard the council plan to sell. It bought number 14 more than 30 years ago and originally had a family in it.
‘ The i ntention was to have affordable homes at a time of right-to-buy and to stem the flow.’ She added: ‘There is also an age issue. Of the 40 homes permanently occupied in the village centre – out of the 80 – only ten are owned by people under 60.
‘We have about 300 people in Plockton and need young families. But they need affordable homes.
‘ There are about 50 holiday homes in the village and 121 occupied homes. It’s out of balance.
‘Prices are inflated because we’re such an attractive village.’
Locals have posted their support on Facebook for keeping the home under the control of the council. On the Plockton Past and Present page, Sandra Holmes wrote: ‘‘There was a need to move quickly to note our interest in sustaining No 14 as an affordable house for rent. We are in the process of forming a community company to take forward initiatives such as this and others.’
A Highland Council spokesman said: ‘The council is considering the future of 14 Harbour Street. No decision has been made.’
Property – Page 72