Isle of Bute islanders poised to buy Lord Attenborough's forest

Published on Monday 8 February 2010 21:40

ISLANDERS hoping to stage the largest ever community buyout of land in Scotland will find out this week whether their plans have been successful.

• The people of Bute are voting on plans to raise 1.4m to buy

Rhubodach Forest

Thousands of people on Bute are voting on proposals to buy a forest owned by the actor and film director Lord Attenborough.

Those behind the scheme believe the 1,700-acre Rhubodach Forest can attract tourists and help revive the island's economy.

More than half of those eligible to vote must take part in the ballot for it to be valid, with a majority required to give the green light to the 1.4 million buyout.

Peter McDonald, a director of Bute Community Land Company (BCLC), which organised the vote, said: "There is access to the forest but what we want to do is open it up and make it more accessible.

"The forest is currently owned by Richard Attenborough. It's at the north end of Bute. It's a special, special place. You can see mainland Argyll. In August it was put on the market.

"To date, I think we have over 2,100 ballot forms returned. We need 2,600 to vote for the ballot to be valid and 50 per cent of that number to say yes.

"I think the vast majority are saying yes, judging by the mood on the street, but there is no way of telling that until the votes are opened and counted. We are optimistic.

"It is not the biggest buy-out in terms of area, but it is the biggest ballot in terms of people in Scotland, we understand.

"Other ballots on plans for community buy-outs in smaller islands, like Eigg or Gigha, have seen fewer than 100 votes."

Many local business owners believe the plan could help attract new visitors to the island.

David Kilpatrick, owner of the Bike Shed, which offers cycle hire in Rothesay, said it could kickstart the local economy. He said: "If we can have facilities out there and get it right, that's when the knock-on effects start happening.

"People will venture into the town, maybe stay for the weekend – guesthouses benefit, they want a fry up, they want to go out in the evening and get a beer … the snowball starts gathering pace."

Sara Goss Melvin, who runs the Boathouse bed-and-breakfast overlooking Rothesay harbour, agreed.

"We need to make Bute an island that everybody wants to come to and that means you've got to have things for people to do," she said.

"You've got to give the modern tourist what they want, and buying the forest would help us do that."

However, some on the island have cast doubt over the viability of the project, questioning who will be responsible for day-to-day management of the forest, and whether a buy-out is necessary given the existing access rights enjoyed by the public.

Ballot papers need to be returned by Thursday, with a result expected on Friday. If given the go-ahead, BCLC has until the end of May to produce the 1.4m.

Mr McDonald added: "We feel very confident that we can do this. We are hoping a lot of it will be grant-funded."