MSP urges Ulva’s owner to back community buy-out

● But doubts on rebuilding of isle’s population

The owner of the isle of Ulva is being urged to embrace a community group’s wish to buy the island after it emerged that he does not believe the move would be in the public interest.

Having taken the reluctant decision to sell, Jamie Howard took to the island’s website to wish the North West Mull Community Woodland Company well in its bid to raise funds to buy and develop Ulva.

However, in a formal response to the Scottish Government on the company’s move to register an interest in buying the island, Mr Howard, 61, advises against granting the application.

The 23-page document, obtained under the Environmental Information (Scotland) regulations, casts doubt on the community company’s chances of rebuilding Ulva’s population, which has dwindled from 570 in the 1840s to four adults – including Mr Howard – and two children.

Stating that the cost of pursuing their ownership dreams, using many business ideas which have failed in the past, would be substantial, the submission questions where the funds would come from.

The document goes on to reject many of the community’s plans to regenerate Ulva – including the introduction of a boatyard, mussel farming, oyster farming, pony trekking and a camp site – as unfeasible or uneconomic.

It concludes: “Given the substantial costs required to give effect to the community body’s proposals it would not be in the public interest for a right to buy to be registered.”

However, Argyll SNP MSP Michael Russell urged Mr Howard, whose family have been custodians of Ulva for 70 years, to get behind the community’s buy-out plan.

Mr Russell said: “I am a strong supporter of community ownership and as the local MSP I am very much behind the trust’s declaration of interest. I am sorry that he doesn’t appear to be fully behind that initiative as yet, so I would urge him to sit down with the community and work out the best way forward.”

When it was put on the market earlier this year for offers over £4.25 million, the island attracted international interest from potential buyers.

But the government, which has granted the community company’s request to register its interest in a right to Ulva, ordered the sale signs to be taken down while the feasibility of the venture is examined.

The district valuer is due to confirm an independent price tag for any subsequent community buy-out tomorrow.