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.
