By Richard Burdge

A PERTHSHIRE COMMUNITY has given overwhelming backing to ambitious plans to buy a former army camp for £350,000.

To ensure that Comrie’s bid to buy Cultybraggan could proceed, at least 50% of eligible voters were required to turn out, with the majority backing the purchase.

Yesterday the Land Reform Unit at the Scottish Executive revealed that there had been a 72% turn out (1404 votes) of which 97% were in favour and 3% against—the most conclusive ballot result to date in the history of the land reform legislation.

Among the first to congratulate the people of Comrie was Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham.

“This is an absolutely magnificent result for the community in Comrie, although I had every confidence that this would be the outcome of the vote,” she said.

People had been urged to come out and vote in favour or face the prospect of Cultybraggan being developed for housing.

The Comrie Development Trust have vigorously been encouraging locals to get behind the chance to buy the disused MoD camp just outside the village.

Various platforms have been held for people to have their say on future uses and the “yes” vote is the latest hurdle to be negotiated in the process of acquiring the 90-acre site for community benefit.

The camp gained notoriety during the second world war when it housed 4000 German PoWs.