The West Harris Trust took ownership of the West Harris Estates from the Scottish Government in 2008. As a community organisation it seeks to use its resources to benefit the social and economic well being of the community.

West Harris has experienced significant population decline over the past several decades, with a 50% population loss since 1951. This decline has been especially marked in the number of young families, with no children of pre-school age in the area. This has led to the local school Seilibost Primary School being threatened with closure. One of the primary aims of the Trust is to strengthen the community by attracting new families into the area. To this end the Trust, in partnership with local grazings committees, is currently offering house sites for sale at a significant discount to the current market value. The sale prospectus is available at here

The house sites are in stunning locations;

1. ✓    three adjacent to Luskentyre beach and are being sold for £15,000 each
   

1. ✓     two at Horgabost with views across to Taransay for sale at £17,500 each;
   

1. ✓    and one at Scaristavore with views over Taransay for sale at £20,000.
   

Allocation Criteria

As the survival of Seilebost School is central to the Trust’s  plans to regenerate the area; priority is being given to families with young children committed to placing their children in the school.

1. ✓    Family with children
   

Children of pre-school age        30 points per child                                                                                                                    

Children of primary school age enrolled, or to be enrolled, in Seilebost Primary.                                                        25 per child

Children of secondary school age, or of primary school age to be enrolled in another primary school in Harris.       

15 per child

Children having left school, or children of school age to be enrolled in a school outwith Harris                                   

5 per child

1. ✓    Applicant and partner (if applicable) with no children
   

Aged 18 to 25       15 per adult                                                                                                                                              

Aged 26 to 35       10 per adult                                                                                                                                                

Aged 36 plus           5 per adult                                                                                                                                                  

1. ✓    Experience of island life
   

As West Harris is a remote rural area, the Trust believe that it is important that applicants interested in moving to the area fully appreciate this. Therefore to reflect long term commitment to the island the Trust allocate additional points to applicants who have prior experience of living in Harris or another island community.

One or more family members (excluding any children) born or brought up in Harris,                                                    30 points

One or more family members (excluding any children) having lived in the Western Isles for more than 12 months        15 points

One or more family members (excluding any children) having lived in a small, rural community        10 points

1. ✓    Economic Regeneration
   

To reflect their commitment to the economic regeneration of West Harris, additional points are allocated to applicants with a  viable business plan which will helps diversify and expand economic activity.

Applicant with viable plan for local business with 1 to 5 employees within 2 years                                               50 points

Applicant has a viable plan for local business with 5+ employees within 2 years                                        100 points

1. ✓   Conditions
   

To ensure that houses are actually built and that speculation does not occur there are a number of conditions placed on the sale of the house sites:

- if the site or of any house built upon it is sold within ten years of the Trust’s sale to the applicant, the Trust is entitled to recover the difference between the discounted price and the market value prevailing at the time of the initial sale. This difference in price will be fixed by the Trust at the time the site is sold and will be index-linked to the RPI measure of inflation.

- any house built on the site must be occupied as a permanent residence and cannot be used as a holiday home or let as such

- the Trust may insert a clause giving it a right of pre-emption in the event of any future sale of a house built on the site.