Tuesday 2 November 2010

Pairc buy-out

The longest running buy-out saga in the Western Isles, that of the Pairc Estate, continues to be a messy affair. Last Friday, the deadline passed for any submissions regarding this process, but the estate owner, Mr Lomas, continues to contrive obstructions for the buy-out bid to proceed. For instance, he is seeking to get more than £760,000 from the Pairc Trust for legal expenses in opposing their buy-out bid.

Today, EcoHeb, the association of community-owned renewable energy companies in the Western Isles, has urged the Scottish Government not to delay a decision on the Pairc buy-out any further.

I could not agree more.

The reason for Mr Lomas's procrastination is that a planning application for a windfarm on the Pairc Estate is also outstanding from the Scottish Government. An approval of that application would skyrocket the price of the estate, placing it beyond the financial means of the Pairc Estate.

5 comments:

  1. Don't be under any illusions. Ecoheb want Pairc buyout decided solely because the unending saga of the buyout makes it difficult for the Scottish Government to consent the SSE Pairc windfarm on which the interconnector depends, and on which they depend. They care nothing for Pairc, its people or land. Such hypocrisy!

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  2. Thanks for clearing that up, "Pairc", that one had slipped in under the radar.

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  3. Just food for thought.....
    In the real world, if you or I owned this asset the strategy would be the same....let's be honest

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  4. Naturally, gravirlife, but since this I posted this, the interconnector has been postponed. I don't think you'd be too happy with that, were you to be Mr Lomas.

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  5. As always AL, a most salient point. However, my observations are that it is a shame Mr Lomas has been "demonized" by nearly all in this fiasco. If the situation/negotiations had been handled better/more transparently it is my belief there might be more room for manouvre. Now he awaits his Judicial Review and who knows what that will bring.
    Also worth noting....OFGEN still no nearer making it economically viable to take any proposed generated electricity from Western Isles onto mainland and distribute southwards and as SSE have given other schemes a higher priority in their current business plans it would seem that things are at a standstill....which does nothing for the value of Mr Lomas asset.

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