AROUND 100 people attended a protest in Skye yesterday morning following the news that a large estate and castle are being marketed for sale.
The 20,000 acre south Sleat estate and Armadale Castle has been owned for more than 50 years by the Clan Donald Lands Trust – which operates a museum, garden, restaurant and shop and is a major local employer.
In a statement, the board of trustees for Clan Donald Lands Trust said it had made the “difficult” decision due to financial difficulties.
However, the sale of the estate has reportedly come as a surprise to people living in the south of Skye, as some people have criticised the lack of community involvement in the decision.
Protest co-organiser Iain MacKinnon said the demonstration was held primarily to “express the shock and displeasure of the community” at the way the Clan Donald Lands Trust announced this sale and took aim at the lack of “consultation of forewarning”.
“It has caused anger, anxiety and fear for many, especially those whose livelihoods are dependent upon the estate, and the suddenness of the announcement has only exacerbated matters,” he said.
“The protest is to ask the estate trustees to pause the sale to give the community time to consider its options and what role, if any, people here would like to have in the future of the estate."
The Chair of the Scottish Land Commission, Michael Russell, said: "The Clan Donald Lands Trust has recently announced it is selling its landholdings. Since then, the Scottish Land Commission has heard from the local community council and other groups in Sleat who are looking for advice and support.
He added: "When large areas of land change hands, we encourage the seller to engage directly with local communities in advance. While there is currently no legal requirement for sellers to do this, it should be considered responsible practice. It gives communities a chance to understand what the sale could mean for their area, consider community ownership of all or part of the holding, or share future ambitions that can inform the sale.
"This hasn’t happened in this case, meaning that community groups are having to react quickly, without the time or information they would ideally have. Given the significance of the landholding and its future ownership to all who live and work there, we urge the seller to take sufficient time to engage with the community and enable them to properly explore their options.
"Landowners who build strong relationships with their local communities can more easily navigate any big changes taking place. Talking to communities during changes like this isn’t just good practice, it builds trust, reflects local priorities, and ensures long-term public benefit. Of course, the Land Reform Bill currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament includes a requirement for large land holdings to give prior notification of intention to sell."
