Bays of Harris land ownership bid receives £1 million funding in from Scottish Land Fund
03 August 2026
Almost 11,000 hectares of land in the Outer Hebrides will move into community ownership following funding from the Scottish Land Fund.
Bays of Harris Community Estate Limited has been given £1,082,680 to buy a 10,927 hectare crofting estate from a private seller.
The funding will help address long-standing housing and population issues in a fragile and dispersed community. It is one of six awards announced today. A total of £2,197,924 will go to communities across Scotland.
Voe Community Development Association has received £106,780 in funding to buy the B-listed Sail Loft in Lower Voe, Shetland. The group want to use the funding to provide a:
heritage centre
low-cost tourist accommodation
café
workshop space
The Quarter Community Hub in South Lanarkshire has received £93,406 to buy the B-listed Quarter Parish Church. This will provide a base for their community activities.
The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by The National Lottery Community Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Once again these projects demonstrate the scale and variety of ways the Scottish Land Fund can support communities, whether it is giving islanders greater autonomy, creating a much-needed heritage centre and workshop space or bolstering volunteering opportunities. It’s especially welcome to see the Bays of Harris purchase conclude after many years of hard work. It shows that perseverance does pay off, and I wish all the projects the best and look forward to hearing about their progress.
Gillian Martin - Cabinet Secretary at Climate Action and Rural Affairs
These awards will have a positive and empowering impact on each of their communities, helping groups to secure important assets and giving local people control over the things that matter most to them.
Cara Gillespie - Committee Chair at Scottish Land Fund
These projects highlight the incredible impact of communities taking charge of their own future. By securing vital assets, they’re safeguarding essential services while creating places that support jobs, attract visitors and bring people together. For example, the Bays of Harris funding contribution to bring the land into community ownership demonstrates the vital role that investment plays in helping communities realise their ambitions. Community ownership is a powerful tool for lasting change, strengthening the local economy and building resilience for generations to come. We can’t wait to see what these inspiring ventures achieve next.
Sandra Holmes - Head of Community Assets at Highlands and Islands Enterprise
We are delighted the Scottish Land Fund has approved funding to enable us to complete the purchase of the Bays of Harris Estate. It has taken 14 years to reach this stage. We would like to thank the many people and organisations whose support, commitment and hard work have made this achievement possible. We now look forward to completing the purchase of the estate on behalf of the community in the coming months.
Euan Galloway - Chair at Bays of Harris Community Estate Limited
Next steps
Read the list of groups receiving funding from the Scottish Land Fund.