Lewis locals push on with Carloway Estate buyout

RESIDENTS of the Carloway Estate on Lewis - site of the world-renowned Callanish Standing Stones - have voted to press ahead with a potential community buyout of the land.
The Callanish Standing Stones on Lewis. Picture: James MesserThe Callanish Standing Stones on Lewis. Picture: James Messer
The Callanish Standing Stones on Lewis. Picture: James Messer

The Galloway family, which owns the estate, are understood to be willing to discuss a possible sale. Less than 1,000 people live on the 11,400 acre estate which includes Callanish, Breasclete, Tolsta Chaolais and the townships of Doune, Kirivick and Knock.

Local residents set up a steering group to examine the financial viability of staging a community buyout of the land two years ago. And they have voted by 254 votes to 86 in a postal ballot to proceed with plans for a community takeover. The turn out in the postal ballot was almost 68 per cent. The estate has an asking price of £180,000.

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The counting of votes was held last night in the Breasclete Community Centre.

The 5,000 year-old Callanish Standing Stones - visited by Pixar executives during their research for the film ‘Brave’ - are in the care of Historic Scotland. Kirsty Wade, the Commonwealth triple gold medallist, raised the Olympic flame at the site during the torch relay’s journey through Scotland.

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