The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has renewed its criticisms of a proposed speculative housing development on croft land in Lochaber.
The organisation’s comments come after the Crofting Commission announced that it will not appeal a Scottish Land Court decision which may enable the unpopular housing plan to go ahead.
In 2011, after obtaining planning permission to build 10 houses, the owner-occupiers of a croft in North Ballachulish applied to decroft the land so that the development could proceed.
The proposal drew opposition locally and the SCF supported a fight against the loss of croft land for speculative building. Although the 2010 Crofting Act gives the Crofting Commission more powers to prevent such developments, the North Ballachulish case is beyond the reach of these powers as the application was made before the new legislation came into force.