Forest row escalates

A vast piece of prestigious forest in Sutherland is at the centre of a land ownership row after it emerged that the sellers had secured more than #400,000 of public funds since November last year.

The estate in Assynt, owned by Caledonian Forestry, was awarded the public grants to create a native woodland. But a volunteer group in the Sutherland community interested in buying the land has been told it has only until noon on Thursday to enter a bid.

The 3000-acre Middle Inver Estate, bought by Caledonian Forestry 18 months ago, is on the market for about #250,000.

The outstanding forestry grants, awarded for native woodland planting of Scots pine and broadleaf trees, can be bought out for "in the region of #150,000".

"The disappointing thing for the Culag Community Woodland Trust is that if they had managed to get a bid together two years ago, they could have had it for less and with the woodland grant," said Lorna Campbell, project manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise's Community Land Unit.

"We want to buy it but we don't know if we'll be able to," said trust chair Anna Mackay. "We've been promised some funding but it will depend on Heritage lottery funding being available."

Assynt was granted to Macleod of Lewis by royal charter in 1346. In the 17th century, it was seized by Mackenzie, Earl of Seaforth, who held it for about 100 years. In 1760 the Mackenzie family offered Assynt for sale and it was bought for the Earl of Sutherland, according to the sales brochure.

John Robin Bound, of selling agents CKD Finlayson Hughes, defended the owners' entitlement. "All land has been fought over at one time or another. It is typical of estates throughout Scotland and England."

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