At Wigtown Area Committee on 9th March, Members will be asked to recommend to Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Policy and Resources Committee that land at Ward Shore, Portpatrick should be transferred to the Portpatrick Harbour Community Benefit Society for the nominal amount of £1.
The request has been made by Portpatrick Harbour Community Benefit Society (PHCBS) who, in October 2015, undertook a Community Share Offer, the first of its kind in Scotland, and raised sufficient funds to acquire Portpatrick Harbour, making it 100% Community owned. The Society currently has 554 community members/shareholders involved in the decision making process for the harbour’s future.
PHCBS now wish to acquire the remaining Council-owned land. Ownership of this land will allow PHCBS to develop and enhance the commercial viability of the harbour and, consequently, its long term sustainability. The Society proposes that the current sheds and stores be extended and renovated and the remaining land, which the Council currently maintain as a picnic area, be used for community events, in line with the Society’s charitable objectives.
The Council has estimated the market value of this strip of land to be around £15k. Under the disposal of Land by Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2010, where the capital value of the land is greater than £10,000, but the proposal is to dispose of the land for less than 75% of the capital value, the council is required to: appraise and compare the costs and other disadvantages with the benefits of the proposal; be satisfied that the disposal for that consideration is reasonable; and agree that the disposal is likely to contribute to any of the purposes of economic development or regeneration, health, social or environmental wellbeing.
The Society hopes that, by gaining the additional strip of land at the Harbour, it will allow the community of Portpatrick to improve the current infrastructure of this important village asset, so increasing visitor numbers and promoting both social and economic benefits to the whole community. The Society’s charitable objectives will then allow any future harbour income to be used to support other community projects.
Councillor Marion McCutcheon, Chair of Wigtown Area Committee said: “One of the Council’s top priorities is to be an inclusive Council by ensuring that local people and communities are at the heart of our decision making. Providing we agree that this is a viable and sustainable project, by transferring ownership of this strip of land at Ward Shore we will be ensuring that the Community are able to utilise whole of the harbour area.
We must empower our communities to make the most of their assets and the success already achieved by PHCBS is to be commended. It is heartening to see this Community taking charge of their own future and economic development. If the transference of this additional piece of land will add to their success, then it must be something we consider very carefully.”
