Trust looks at new ways to halt Canna exodus

THE National Trust for Scotland is investigating changes to its housing policy on Canna, which has led to some families deciding to leave the island.

Since the start of this year, four people have gone, a family of six is to depart in August and a couple also plan to quit.

Geoff Soe-Paing, who will leave with wife Eilidh and their four children, after five years on Canna, said the inability of inhabitants to buy or build property is hampering the island's long-term prospects.

But the NTS, which owns the island, has begun a feasibility study looking at all aspects of tenure - ownership, leasing and shared-equity schemes - which may help overcome the issue.

Alexander Bennett, the trust's countryside and islands group manager, north, said it offers leases of 15-20 years on properties. It does not offer houses for sale for fear they end up as holiday homes.

Mr Soe-Paing said the NTS took up custodianship of Canna 30 years ago and he would have expected issues such as tenure to have been addressed by now.