91Èȱ¬

Tha Oighreachd na Pàirce ann an Leòdhas a’ gabhail a-staigh mu 26,000 acaire de thalamh mhòinteach is beanntan, le mu 400 duine a’ fuireach ann an sreath de bhailtean chroitearachd. Seo cuideachd far a bheil fear dha na h-aimhreitean fearainn is nimheil ann an Alba air a bhith a’ ruith fad 10 bliadhna. Ann an 2003, bhòt muinntir na Pàirce na còraichean aca fo Achd Ath-leasachaidh an Fhearainn (Alba) a chleachdadh airson toirt air an uachdaran prìobhaideach Barry Lomas an oighreachd a reic. Bhon uair sin, a dh’aindeoin ‘s  an dà thaobh ag ràdh gu bheil iad a’ feuchainn ri aonta a ruighinn far nach fheum reic an aghaidh toil tachairt, chan eil fuasgladh air tighinn. Tha Urras na Pàirce, a tha airson an oighreachd a cheannach dhan choimhearsnachd a tha fuireach ann, a’ fàgail air Mgr. Lomas gu bheil e feuchainn a h-uile dòigh is urrainn dha airson maille a chuir aig cuisean. Tha Mgr. Lomas ged-tha ag ràdh gu bheil e airson an oighreachd a reic – ma gheibh e a’ phrìs a tha e ‘g iarraidh. Tha Darren Linc ag aithris.

The Pàirc Estate in Lewis comprises around 26,000 acres of moorland and hills, with a population of 400 spread among small crofting townships. It’s also where one of Scotland’s bitterest land disputes of recent times has been taking place for the last 10 years. In 2003, the Pàirc community voted to pursue their rights under the Land Reform Act (Scotland) to force private landlord Barry Lomas to sell the estate. Since then, despite professed efforts from both sides to avoid a hostile buyout and reach an amicable transfer of the estate, no agreement has been reached. The community group Pàirc Trust say Mr Lomas has made every effort to stall the process, while Lomas says he wants to sell – for the right price. On ·¡Ã²°ù±è²¹ this week, Darren Laing reports on the longest running community buyout ever in Scotland.