![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/c46f\/live\/31c18410-8656-11ef-95e2-abae237bd1c1.jpg.webp\")
Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nYoung people should have a legal right to live in the community where they grew up, says Community Land Scotland.<\/p>\n It said there was an “acute” shortage of affordable properties in rural areas.<\/p>\n The organisation said “Right to Live” should be written into legislation and sit alongside people’s rights to food and education.<\/p>\n The Scottish government said it had delivered more than 10,000 affordable rural homes between April 2016 to March 2023, and had committed to building thousands more throughout Scotland.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Community Land Scotland’s call forms part of its new vision<\/a> to improve community landownership.<\/p>\n Development manager Linsay Chalmers said: “Many of the places where our members are based have plenty of jobs – and young people who want to stay and contribute – but there is nowhere affordable for them to live.<\/p>\n “This is decimating communities and leaving young people with little choice but to move away.<\/p>\n “A Right to Live would mean that the Scottish government would have to take a more strategic and creative approach to policy and legislation to ensuring that young people could stay in communities.”<\/p>\n The organisation, which represents community landowners, said an ongoing review of community right to buy policy was among the opportunities it had to promote the idea.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Emily MacMillan, 22, lives in Achiltibuie in the west Highlands after moving there with her family from Glenelg in Lochalsh eight years ago.<\/p>\n She said it took her four years of fighting her case to secure an affordable home, a one bedroom flat in the small village near Ullapool.<\/p>\n Ms MacMillan said she was now at a stage where she wanted to own her own home with her partner in Achiltibuie, but the few properties available for sale are too expensive.<\/p>\n She said: “It’s impossible for first-time buyers.”<\/p>\n According to the latest Office for National Statistics figures<\/a> the average price being paid by Highland first-time buyers is \u00a3172,000.<\/p>\n The Scottish average is \u00a3160,213.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n Ms MacMillan said she knew of people who felt they had to move away to find homes.<\/p>\n She said: “That’s the hard part about it as well, losing people your age because they can’t stay.<\/p>\n “I am lucky to have my flat and feel almost guilty saying it is not big enough.”<\/p>\n Ms MacMillan said her desire was to continue living in her local community.<\/p>\n “I have always lived on the west coast, and I am a very family-orientated person and I just want to be near my family,” she said.<\/p>\n “Also it is a gorgeous place to live.<\/p>\n “I am quite an artistic person, I do a lot of paintings, and it is so inspiring living in a place like this.<\/p>\n “I like the small community as well. Everyone is very close and tight-knit and look out for each other. The support is something you don’t find in large urban areas, I think.”<\/p>\n She added: “The solution is never going to a simple one.<\/p>\n “The last council estate built here was over 10 years ago. It must have made a huge difference back then.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In July<\/a>, a report suggested teenagers were worried there was no future for them on Scotland’s islands due to a lack of housing<\/p>\n A survey of 12 to 25-year-olds by Young Islanders Network (YIN) suggests 62% of respondents plan to leave their island homes when they are older because of a shortage of suitable accommodation.<\/p>\n Just 9% said they believed buying a home where they lived was affordable.<\/p>\n The Scottish government has a commitment to deliver 110,000 new affordable homes across Scotland.<\/p>\n It said at least 70% would be for social rent and 10% in rural and island communities.<\/p>\n The Scottish government said the pledge was backed by funds such as the Rural and Islands Housing Fund and Rural Key Workers Fund <\/p>\n Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “We are working closely with regional, local and community partners to ensure that we collectively deliver a sustainable solution to the challenges affecting rural and island communities, including funding for local-led research and community initiatives. <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Emily](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/218c\/live\/01529200-8657-11ef-9329-f30486eb2a33.jpg.webp\")
Emily MacMillan<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/1335\/live\/e206b300-8709-11ef-8c26-f76ffbea7663.jpg.webp\")
Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n