Scottish island on sale for same price as one-bed London flat

The 65-acre private island is on the market for just £250,000

The island of Vaila Sound in the Shetlands is closer to Norway than Scotland (CC by 2.0 Swifant)

A Scottish island on sale for the price of a one-bed flat in London is attracting a “lot of interest” according to its estate agents.

Vladi Private Islands, an estate agent which has catered exclusively for people looking for their own island since 1971, told The Independent it had had a lot of interest in the 65-acre private island with comes complete with its very own loch.

Vaila Sound is an island on the western side of the Shetland Isles – meaning it is technically closer to Norway than Scotland – with just two dilapidated, abandoned cottages that can be yours for £250,000.

This is roughly half the average house price in London which was recorded as £481,000 on the UK House Price Index.

Planning permission is already in place for the building of a pier, storage shed with a reception area and several new agricultural buildings.

A new cottage will form part of the plan, along with a windmill and solar panel for green energy and septic tanks with reed beds for sewage. Rainwater capture from the new buildings’ roofs are designed to provide fresh water, The Sun reported.

In the advertising information on their website, Vladi Private Islands said: “It is a place of spectacular scenery and beauty with an abundance of wildlife. This is an exciting development opportunity with the island having planning consent for the building of a pier and storage shed with reception area, new agricultural buildings, a two acre loch with traditional watermill as well as the rebuilding of the two derelict cottages and the erection of a new cottage.”

The company’s owner, Fahad Vladi, said: “In Scotland you have special laws which prohibit you to really develop islands, so we always have to go back to what is there.

“So if there are farmhouse walls, we are allowed to re-build the house, it is very very sensitive – you cannot develop islands.

“Therefore the prices are according to what you can do – if you have only a small stable which you can rebuild, then of course, your use is limited.”