THE industrial giant that bought the Lochaber smelter has announced new plans for the 114,000-acre Highland estate that came with the deal, despite prolonged efforts by a local group to buy the land for the community.

A new company has been created to run the land, to be led by the former chief operating officer of the Duke of Buccleuch’s estate, and the firm says it intends to realise the potential of the land “fully”.

The news has surprised the community land group members, who believed they had forged a good relationship with Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance industrial group and the estate consultants it had brought in, Harrisons Rural.

GFG bought the Lochaber Smelter from Rio Tinto Aluminium last Christmas, with the promise of hundreds of new industrial jobs on the site in the shadow of Ben Nevis.

The deal included 114,000 acres of the most important scenery in Scotland, running from the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glen Coe, all the way north to the Grey Corries, taking in the Mamore range, parts of Ben Nevis itself and other major peaks.

The East Lochaber and Laggan Community Trust (ELLCT) was trying to buy the land for the community, so it could be managed to help support housing and jobs.

But the creation of the new company, JAHAMA, immediately the UK’s fifth-largest landholder, is unlikely to encourage the group, after Jay Hambro, chief investment officer for GFG, said: “We see our Scottish property assets as a sleeping giant whose potential we intend to realise fully.”

JAHAMA’s “key” Highland division will be run by former Royal Marine Duncan Mackison.

Mackison was the chief operating officer for the largest British private landowner, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who has been involved in a long stand-off with people living in Wanlockhead, who want to buy just 14,000 of his more than 200,000 acres.

Leaders of the Wanlockhead buyout have criticised the Buccleuch business for poor communications and only offering them a fraction of the land they wanted.

Buccleuch has also been under fire for charging people to enter Dalkeith Country Park just outside Edinburgh.

Previously Mackison spent many years working in outsourced Government services as managing director of Serco’s defence business.

After The National informed him of the new company’s formation and Mackison’s appointment, ELLCT chair John Hutchinson said: “Given that we have been pressing our community land ownership aspirations with GFG and Harrison rural since the beginning of the year, at the very least it’s extremely surprising to learn of this development from the media.”

Gupta, executive chairman of the GFG Alliance said: “With the rapidly growing scale of our global property interests, it became imperative that we launch a dedicated property pillar within the business. This will make responsible stewardship and development of our estates and property holdings, for the betterment of all stakeholders, a key priority.”

GFG said Mackison will also act as general ambassador for the GFG Alliance in Scotland and lead discussions with Scottish Government, local authorities, public sector agencies and local communities to develop major industrial, agricultural and recreational projects for the Alliance. He will be heavily involved in GFG Alliance’s economic redevelopment around Fort William.

Jay Hambro Chief Investment Officer for the GFG Alliance said: “We have appointed a dedicated and highly-experienced chief executive to lead the development of JAHAMA Highland Estates and to strengthen our engagement with local communities and other stakeholders in evolving plans and ideas for the future use of the estate lands at Lochaber. Our position hasn’t changed from the beginning. We are committed to working with all stakeholders, including all local communities, to achieve the best and most productive use of the estate lands for the benefit of all involved. To that end we continue to look at all options. We have not closed the door on any option.

As well as building a previously announced alloy wheel manufacturing plant, the firm said yesterday it will also mean “projects across adjoining lands covering renewable energy, outdoor sports, tourist facilities, forestry and new agricultural activity.”

Mackison said: “We have an opportunity to create an exemplar for the running of a large Highland estate; combining traditional rural activity with sustainable industrial activity. We also want to build on the excellent level of partnership with government, public agencies and communities that has not been seen before on this scale.”