Population of tiny British island could soar by 6,000 per cent after hundreds apply to live there

The population of a tiny British island off the coast of Scotland could rise by as much as 6,000 per cent after residents appealed for more people to move there.

Six people currently live on the island of Ulva, in the Inner Hebrides.

Ulva was transferred to community ownership earlier this year after its residents mounted a successful community buyout.

Scotland allows communities to register an interest in land and buy it when it comes up for sale.

The islanders bought the land after securing up to £4.4m in funds from the Scottish Land Fund and raising £37,000 from a crowdfunding campaign.

The community hopes to encourage others to move to Ulva.

Until recently the island had seven residents.

But Jamie Howard, a member of the family which has owned the land for more than 70 years, left after disagreeing with the 21 June sale.

Mr Howard’s grandmother bought Ulva for £10,000 in the 1940s. He said the community would “struggle” to repopulate the island.

The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust (HSCGT) created a survey to identify people who wanted to relocate to Ulva.

Around 350 people have now registered their interest in moving to the isle, which lies off the west coast of the Argyll and Bute.

If all the applicants relocate, Ulva’s population could soar by 6,000 per cent.

“There has been a gratifying amount of interest from people wishing to make their homes on Ulva and everyone has been added to a list and will be contacted when we are ready to move to the formal application stage,” said the North West Mull Community Woodland Community, the company representing the islanders.

“It does need to be clearly stated that this will not be very soon.”

The company is working with Argyll and Bute Council to appoint architects to work on the island in an effort to restore houses there.

Residents hope to resurrect the island’s agriculture industry.

Around 800 people lived on Ulva in the 18th and 19th centuries, with much of the population making a living collecting kelp.

Islanders hope to introduce a herd of cattle to the area and also want to re-establish corncrakes and wildflowers on Ulva.

“Community purchase gives a new opportunity for Ulva,” said Michael Russell, the MSP for Argyll and Bute.

“There is a huge amount of goodwill ... across Scotland and even more widely towards the ... community buyout.”

“Moreover it would give an exciting new start for an island that has great potential, which will include plans for re-population, which this area desperately needs.”

Additional reporting by agencies