Staffin Community Trust to appeal Storr land rejection
A SKYE community organisation is to request a formal review into its rejected bid to buy land at one of the island’s most popular landmarks, the Old Man of Storr.
Staffin Community Trust (SCT) believes Highland Council’s decision to reject its offer to buy roadside ground at the Storr was flawed and against the spirit of new Scottish Government legislation. Earlier this month, the council refused SCT’s Asset Transfer Request (ATR), which was the first in the Highlands under the new Community Empowerment Act. SCT had planned to build a new off-road car park, public toilets and information points at the site in a major development which, the trust insists, fully meets the criteria of an ATR as set out by the government.
The council had allocated £400,000 for the site in November 2016 and SCT requested money be allocated to the project so it could work to secure the additional match funding required to deliver the £900,000 development.
The council, however, rejected the trust’s proposals, taking the view the transfer of £400,000 ‘would not be prudent’ and ‘failed to protect the public interest’. The council further stated the plan to separate the car park area from the rest of the land it owned at the Storr, including a native woodland, would 'separate the revenue generating potential of the site from the burden of management and maintenance’.
A trust spokesperson said: ‘The SCT refutes the council’s claims and has been heartened by the messages of support from the local and wider Skye community and further afield. SCT would be providing a public and community service to the north east of Skye and the rest of the island by improving road safety and toilets at this site.’
SCT chairman Sandy Ogilvie added: 'This was a short-sighted decision by Highland Council which seems to have ignored community empowerment legislation. SCT had worked closely with its officials for the last three years to produce a fully-costed development, which would make a huge difference for Staffin and the Skye community and the thousands of visitors to the site. There was strong support locally and nationally for this community solution to a landmark which is recognised across the world.'
Chairman of the officer-led asset management project board Stuart Black, who is also the council’s director of development and infrastructure, also wrote to SCT when rejecting the ATR offering to meet for discussions. SCT has accepted Mr Black’s invitation.
The SCT will also separately submit a request that the authority review the ATR decision. If that fails, the trust could appeal to the government.