A NEW croft has been created in Moray for the first time since crofting was extended to the area in 2010.

Jamie McIntyre, of the Woodland Crofts Partnership, said: “We are delighted that the first new croft to be created in Moray should prove to be a woodland croft. The area is ideal for woodland crofts, with its generally favourable soils and climate, and the diverse nature of its woodlands.

"We look forward to this being the first of many, and to seeing woodland crofts become an established part of the Moray landscape.”

The new croft lies on the Moray coast and extends to around five acres of naturally regenerated woodland. The owners plan to run a forestry business and carry out other woodland activities on the croft, providing social and economic benefits to the local community.

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Donald MacKinnon, chair of the Scottish Crofting Federation – one of the members of the Woodland Crofts Partnership – added: “Since the possibility of creating new crofts entered legislation, SCF has lobbied for the creation of 10,000 new crofts, half of which to be woodland crofts. The creation of this woodland croft is a significant step in that Moray is a new crofting area. We wish the new crofters well with their enterprise.”