good news

It is good news that Gourdie is to be retained at least in part for agricultural use.

Less than 1% of Scotland is Macaulay class two and the farming section of The Courier has campaigned in recent years to make sure it stayed under the plough and producing top quality food rather than being converted into woodland.

The FCS and Scottish Government are to be congratulated on creating what could be the first of three starter units on the 150-acre farm.

There are bound to be doubts however about the viability of a 48-acre farm especially when half of it has to be planted with trees.

To make a living from 24 acres of cropping land will not be possible without a commitment to an intensive horticultural or fruit enterprise involving a major capital expenditure on polytunnels and irrigation equipment.

Nonetheless there will be somebody out there with the flair and optimism needed to make it work.

That person will need to sharpen his or her pencil and be prepared to think laterally.