Portree’s King George V park taken into community ownership
Written by MartyM on 1 April 2026
By Jamie McDonald
Portree and Braes Trust has announced it has completed the purchase of the King George V playing field, taking it into community ownership.
The group raised the required £35,000 from donations and with support from the Scottish Land Trust.
The purchase has been a long process owing to the age of some of the original documents.
The land was originally part of the historic Clan MacDonald before being included in a mass sell-off by to Fearann Eilean Iarmain in the 1970s.
The Trust’s Chair, Donnie Nicolson, said:
“This is a huge achievement for everyone involved and an important first step in our long-term plans to develop Camanachd Square for the wider community.
“It has been a long time coming and we would like to thank everyone involved for their donations, hard work and patience, particularly all of the local partners in our Sponsor a Square scheme and the Portree Under 15 Football team who cycled around the North of Skye and raised almost £4,000 towards the land purchase.”
Speaking on behalf of Fearann Eilean Iarmain, Lucilla Noble, said:
“I’m delighted that Fearann Eilean Iarmain has been able to help Portree and Braes Community Trust to secure ownership of this special ground for the community, ensuring this much-loved recreation space will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
“I hope it will bring significant benefit to the community of Portree, and I look forward to seeing it flourishing into the future. I wish the Trust all the very best of success with their plans.”
The Trust also wants to develop Portree Community Centre so that it is also taken into community ownership.
