£4.5m price tag for Ulva

Property: Residents confident of raising cash to buy Hebridean island

The residents attempting a community buy-out of Ulva will need to raise about £4.5million to purchase the small island.

The North West Mull Community Woodland Company learned yesterday that an independent valuation, ordered by the Scottish Government, has determined the value of the estate as £4,241,000.

But the group also wants to buy Ardalum House on the Hebridean island, which is likely to increase the price to about £4.5million.

John Addy, a director of the NWMCWC, revealed the Electoral Reform Society will deliver ballot papers next week, as the prelude to residents being asked if they back the buyout scheme.

The organisation, which is seeking to take control of the land from current owner, Jamie Howard, is confident it will manage to raise the money.

The group said: “We have been told the estate is currently operating at a loss, but under community ownership, priorities for expenditure will be different.

“We believe by refocusing the priorities and approach to managing the island, we could keep it ticking over with its current population without running up any significant debt. But, of course, we do not intend to simply carry on as before – we have an ambitious range of proposed developments.

“We are confident that even in the first year or two, we will be able to demonstrate real change in our priority areas – housing, agriculture, forestry and tourism.”

Mr Addy and his colleagues have issued an information sheet for those who will vote in the ballot, with the outcome due on January 9.

But although it is a tight timescale, he insisted the buy-out was practical.

He added: “There are around 200 households and just short of 400 individual voters in the area.

“The ballot papers arrive next week and it is crucial we show there is strong support within the community for this project.

“Our message to voters is: please make sure you vote Yes to enable us to breathe new life into Ulva.”

Mr Howard was not available for comment.

“Of course, we do not intend to simply carry on as before”

TARGET: Residents of Ulva are to be balloted on whether they back a buy-out of the Hebridean island as a first step in their bid to take it over

Rev Aquila Singh