Isle of Linga has a new landlord
Stuart Prestidge
The tiny uninhabited isle of Linga has been bought by a Scottish businessman who plans to inject new life into it.
John Scott, who transformed his father James’s wood mill business into one of Europe’s biggest pallet-making companies, wants to “recreate the crofting land”.
In a statement, Mr Scott, who now lives in Monaco, said he “intends to develop the island to recreate the crofting land and restore two existing dwellings, and subject to appropriate planning permissions, adding a third new cottage at the south end of the island”.
He added: “The project will use renewable energy and eco-friendly solutions.”
The 64-acre island in Vaila Sound off Walls was on the market twice in 2014 and 2018 with an asking price of £250,000. It features two derelict cottages.
In 2011 the SIC approved planning permission submitted by Robert Thomson for a £500,000 project to build a high-class, eco-friendly house for renting out to tourists, however those plans were never brought to fruition.
In the 2018 listing, the island was said to include planning consent for the building of a pier and storage shed with reception area, new agricultural buildings, a two-acre loch with traditional watermill as well as the rebuilding of the two derelict cottages and the erection of a new cottage.
It stated: “The planning consent also includes a windmill and solar panels for power, septic tanks with reed beds for sewage and rainwater capture from the cottage and shed roofs to provide the fresh water supply making it eco-friendly and energy efficient”.
Linga has been uninhabited since 1934.
