Highland Council says yes to 'Les Mis' man's bunkhouse

Published on Monday 3 August 2009 22:04

A LONG running dispute between musicals impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh and an 85-year-old crofter is set to be reignited today.

The West End producer is a trustee of the Tarbet Trust, which is seeking outline planning permission to build two bunkhouses, a one-bedroom cottage and three two-bedroom cottages on his land at Tarbet in the west Highlands.

Highland Council planners are recommending approval when the plan is discussed today, even though it has attracted 53 objections.

One of the objections is from Donald Cameron, who wants to buy his croft on Sir Cameron's land, and the application is set to reignite a planning wrangle between the pair.

The row dates back to 1998, when Sir Cameron's Nevis Estate wanted to take over part of the 711-acre croft tenanted by Mr Cameron, which has been in his family for more than a century, as part of plans to regenerate native oak woodlands.

It was suggested that both sides enter into a crofter forestry scheme (CFS) to allow the regeneration project to go ahead and Mr Cameron be compensated for loss of agricultural land.

But Mr Cameron refused to give up his land and the estate later raised an action challenging whether his holding was a croft and sought to redraw boundaries.

Mr Cameron responded by applying to buy his croft for 15 times the annual rent using crofting legislation.

A civil action was raised against Mr Cameron at Fort William Sheriff Court where a sheriff ruled in favour of the crofter.

Mr Cameron said yesterday his application to buy his croft was due to be heard by the land court in the autumn.

The latest proposals would see the redevelopment of ruins for holiday accommodation in an area popular with tourists.