A Highland community has saved the village’s last council house from becoming another holiday home.
Villagers in Plockton fought to prevent Highland Council from selling the three-bedroom home on the open market where prices have surged beyond the range of local, working people.
The house at 14 Harbour Street in the village – the setting for TV police series Hamish Macbeth starring Robert Carlyle – became vacant after the last tenant of more than 30 years moved into a care home.
Neighbouring properties have previously sold for between £360,000-£380,000.
Plockton Community Council had warned half of the 80 homes in the centre of the village were now either second homes or available for letting.
Following protests, Highland Council said it would not sell the property which has been refurbished and allocated to a teacher at Plockton High School – delighting residents..
Number 14 – known locally as Dan’s house – has been renovated over the past year by Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association, acting as agents for Highland Council.
Peter MacKenzie, chairman of Plockton and District Community Council, said: “We are delighted with the outcome at Dan’s house.
“There is a feelgood factor in that a local teacher will now occupy it. This shows the system working and we need to see more of it in Plockton.
“We currently have a big problem in the local hospitality sector where businesses can’t get staff because there is no affordable housing available for employees.”
Meanwhile, Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association is progressing with a pre-planning application for 12 affordable homes on part of the council-owned shinty pitch in the village.
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