CONCERNS about a low turnout were proved to be without foundation after 67 per cent of voters in South Kintyre gave near unanimous backing to allow a community buyout of the site of RAF Machrihanish near Campbeltown.

After a poll this week, which showed over 97 per cent of residents to be in favour, a community group can now work on a business plan.
The Ministry of Defence is prepared to sell the 1,000 acre former RAF site, including a 10,000 foot runway, to the community.
Since the military pulled out in the mid-90s, the Argyll site has been largely empty, although a small commercial air service uses part of the site.

The company behind the community business, Macrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC), hope that the buyout will allow the site to be developed and jobs created.

Jim Mather, Argyll and Bute MSP, offered his congratulations to MACC, saying: “I would like to congratulate the organisers of MACC and the people of Kintyre for this very impressive result, a huge endorsement of the assiduous work of  the organising committee. This is, to date, the largest community buy out exercise in Scotland and the Kintyre community has risen superbly to the challenge.

“There will doubtless be difficult times and negotiations ahead but I take considerable comfort from the evidence of this vote in the underlying confidence of the people of Kintyre and their  willingness to look at the means of taking control of their own environment and future. Local autonomy and a willingness to take responsibility is a very necessary step in turning around past reverses and I am sure that this vote, like the recent vote on Bute, is part of that process.

“Once the organisers have come back down to ground level I hope that they will draw together all their allies and stakeholders, and include those who have taken this route already, and see how this can best be taken forward.”

< Prev		Next >