SKYE councillors have explained the reasons behind Highland Council’s decision to reject a request from a community group to transfer land at a popular Skye tourist spot.
Staffin Community Trust wanted to buy ground beside the road to build a new car park, public toilets and information points at the Old Man of Storr but council members refused the trust’s request. Councillor John Gordon provided the following statement on behalf of Skye’s four elected council members: ‘It is not the principle of a project to develop facilities at the Storr site or reluctance by Highland Council to transfer assets under the Community Empowerment Act which led to the refusal of the asset transfer request.
‘The council’s asset management board, having used the guidance on the legislation, identified there were key elements relating to the conditions set by Staffin Community Trust, and of the specific area of land requested, that resulted in the decision to refuse. This is now subject to a formal review as requested by Staffin Community Trust and as such would not be appropriate for the elected members to publicly comment on at this point.