The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has voiced concern over the refusal by the Highland Council and Scottish Government to grant planning consent for a Torridon crofter to live on her croft.
SCF Vice-chair Fiona Mandeville said “It has very worrying implications for crofting, and the vibrancy of crofting communities, that a crofter is being refused permission to live on the croft that she works. It is particularly alarming that the decision appears to have been heavily influenced by the objections submitted by holiday home owners in the area, people who don’t themselves stay and work in the community yet feel they have the right to dictate on where a crofter can or cannot live.”
Mother-of-three Elaine Holmes’ hopes of living on her working croft in Schiehallion, Torridon, have been extinguished when her appeal to the Scottish Government Reporter to overturn a Highland Council decision was refused. The Highland Council planning committee, who refused to give planning consent, was split on a 7-7 vote and the decision was made on the casting vote of committee chairwoman. The committee received 9 objections to the application, but Miss Holmes claims that only three of the objectors play an active role in the community.
