Since the Willow Wood Residents Association was formed in 2005 there has been a dream of community ownership of the Park but until now it was only a dream.
In 2006, the Association AGM instructed the officers of the Association to look at the Land Reform (Scotland) Act of 2003 to see if the Community Right to Buy provisions might apply here. Part II of the Act did indeed apply and the long process of establishing and registering a right to buy began.
Steady progress was reported to each succeeding general meeting culminating in registration in June 2007. Since then it became a matter of waiting to see if the park owners would wish to dispose of their interest. Other communities with right to buy registration often wait years for the property to come onto the market but in our case it was only a year with the owners informing the Scottish Government of their intention to sell - just eight weeks ago.
How do you prepare for such a momentous occurrence? True, the Community Company organised a full day conference where most members attended and heard the top experts from the Scottish Government, the Big Lottery Fund and West Lothian Council explain the way ahead and the timetable.
Some members did not attend the conference but the outcomes were widely reported in the community newspaper The Willow Wood Wanderer and in other communications so everyone was kept in touch with events.
The real negotiations kick-off only when an owner intimates a decision to sell which they did in July 2008. The seller may state an asking price but the legislation demands that only after a formal valuation can a price be set. It is this valuation price that needs to be established before we can decide whether to proceed with a purchase.
Under the terms of the Act, the Scottish Government appointed a valuer to set a fair price for the estate and this valuation was received by the Directors on 2 October 2008. This valuation is in line with the Company business plan and the Directors are minded to proceed with an offer to buy. The landowner has 21 days from now in which to appeal the valuation if he should choose to do so.
Where does that leave us? The Directors have of course, been taking advice and working on drafting a business plan and now have concrete proposals to put to the members both at a public meeting and in a secret ballot due to be held later in October.
Look out for more details.
