Community councillors unhappy over deal between Highland Council and Wildland Ltd for land purchase at Tongue
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The acquisition of Highland Council owned land in Tongue by conservation and tourism firm Wildland Ltd is being opposed by community councillors.
Members of Tongue Community Council have voiced their unhappiness at the sale of a parcel of green land in the village to Wildland Ltd, which is owned by Danish tycoon and local landowner Anders Holch Povlsen.
The move has been slammed as a “fait accompli” with local people not consulted, although this has been denied by the authority.
Community councillor Dorothy Pritchard said “I feel that there is going to be a lot of anger in the community over this.”
A letter of protest is now being sent to Highland Council and north, west and central Sutherland councillor Michael Baird has been asked to make the opposition known to relevant officials.
The issue arose at a meeting of Tongue Community Council last week, at which a presentation was given by project managers of the planned new £10.5 million North Coast Health and Social Care Hub.
The hub is being progressed by NHS Highland and Highland Council in conjunction with Wildland - the company is funding the building and will then lease it to the two authorities.
The parcel of land over which contention has now arisen, was originally considered as a possible site for the hub - the ground in question is overlooked by former Church of Scotland manse Lundies House, now run by Wildland as an eight-room hotel and understood to be where Mr Povlsen stays when he is in the area.
However it was eventually agreed the hub would be sited on an area of land known as “the Glebe” and located near the fire station to the north of the village.
At last Tuesday’s meeting it emerged that the site overlooked by Lundies House is to be bought by Wildland.
Joe Dunn, Wildland project manager, said: “The local authority owns that ground and part of the arrangement is that Wildland will purchase it with the condition it remains a public open space.”
Richard Heggie, project consultant, confirmed: “Yes, the local authority have agreed to sell it to Wildland. It was a site originally looked at for a care hub, but through the discussions Wildland had with the council and NHS Highland, there was an agreement to move to the site now proposed.”
He added: “There are not any firm proposals for what kind of a space (the Lundies site) that will be, but that will be something that follows on from the submission of a care home application.
“There needs to be a process of engagement there - discussion with the community.”
But community council chairman Andrew Gunn interjected: “I would not agree with Wildland purchasing it (the site) - it should stay with the local authority. I do not feel as a community council member I can be happy with this.”
He was supported by Ms Pritchard who said: “It sounds as if that (the sale) has already been agreed as part of the arrangement for the new hub. We have no problem with it remaining as a green space, but it was never to be sold. That is a community space.”
A Highland Council spokesperson told the Northern Times: “A key basis of the agreement between the three parties involved is that land next to Lundies, which is in the ownership of the council, would be transferred to Wildland on completion of the new care hub.
“This will preserve the land as a public open space and Wildland has clearly indicated in recent public meetings their intent to engage with the local community on this.”
