Pairc Trust

Pairc is a disadvantaged rural area in the south-east corner of the Isle of Lewis, consisting of 11 crofting townships. The population today is around 400, compared with nearly 2000 a century ago. Pairc Estate covers an area of over 28,000 acres which was controlled by the Lomas Family (Pairc Crofters Ltd and Pairc Renewables Limited). The Pairc Trust, a charitable organisation Ltd by guarantee, was formed in 2003 with a mandate from the local community to buy the Estate on their behalf. The Pairc community buyout had become a test-case for land reform legislation and exercising the community’s right to purchase the estate under part 3 of the Land Reform Act (Scotland).  The long saga of the Trust’s attempts to buy the Estate on behalf of the local community came to a successful conclusion in December 2015 when Pairc Trust finally took ownership of the Estate.  We are grateful to all those who have supported the Trust in our long struggle and now look forward to making a positive difference to the lives of everyone in Pairc.

The underlying objective of Pairc Trust is to make the area sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms for future generations. Our belief is that community ownership of the Estate will help unlock the potential for economic and social development of the area in line with community needs and ambitions. We believe that a more proactive and community-led approach will develop and will lead to an increase in community confidence and enterprise, and help take advantage of economic and social opportunities to create more local jobs, improve local facilities and services, and reverse the area’s deep-seated population decline.

Pairc Trust’s first member of staff following the purchase of the Estate was appointed in February 2016.

Plans for the future/development areas/Long term vision

• Affordable housing
• Creating local employment
• Community wind Farm/Renewable energy projects
• Tourism/Campsite
• Estate Management
• Community facilities