The people of Mangersta in Uig (Lewis), pop. 29, has mounted a bid to take the village and its common grazings (more than 9,000 acres) into commounity ownership. At the moment, the area is owned by Uig & Hamnaway Estates. Urras Mhangurstadh (The Mangersta Trust) was formed and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. This enabled the body to lodge a formal bid with the Scottish Government under the terms of the Land Reform Act (2003).
The Mangersta Trust has said that it aims to halt the population decline suffered by Uig by creating employment and supporting crofting. The Trust hopes to come to a fruitful cooperation with the sitting landlords, leading to a benefit for both community trust and estate. They have taken soundings in the island of Gigha, which was taken over into community ownership in the 1990s.
It is worth noting that the St Kilda Centre is to be built at Mangersta, on a location south of the village near Islivig.
As a long-standing supporter of the community buy-out movement in Scotland I naturally welcome this news, and bearing in mind the Uig & Hamnaway Estates' cooperation with the people of Uig (with regards to the shop), I have every hope that this venture can be established in an amicable and mutually beneficial way.
More information on this on Hebrides Today.
Verra' guid, and a positive note from the Lighthouse for once! Arnish, when is the St. Kilda Centre going to be opened?
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