Evictions Impacting Blind Veterans at Linburn Estate
Pete Conaghan, a former 1 PARA staff sergeant, is currently facing eviction from the Linburn estate in West Lothian.
Plans to evict blind veterans from the Linburn estate, managed by the charity Sight Scotland Veterans (formerly Scottish War Blinded), are significantly affecting the lives of those involved, according to the charity's former director.
Last June, tenants at the estate were informed by the landlord that they had one year to vacate their homes. Rebecca Barr, who led the charity for four years, expressed her distress over the decision to sell the site to housing developers and has voiced her support for the residents.
Sight Scotland Veterans stated to that the sale is "necessary to support visually impaired veterans into the future."
Background and Concerns Raised
The Linburn estate, located near Wilkieston, has been operated by the charity for 80 years, providing housing and support to blind veterans.
"I am devastated that a charity that had provided such an amazing place, that gave people back their lives and independence, has come to this," said Rebecca Barr.
"Yes, I think it is a beautiful place to have houses, and it will fetch a lot of money. But to actually harm the veterans' lives? They are stressed, they are unhappy, they don't know what's going to happen to them. This is a charity set up specifically to support veterans and that's not what they are doing. They are damaging those veterans' lives."
Barr resigned before the charity's name change in 2020. At that time, its sister charity Royal Blind, governed by the same board, was renamed Sight Scotland.
She expressed concerns about a blurring of the lines between the two charities, stating:
"The money was always there to support veterans. I was always concerned there was going to be an erosion of the emphasis on veterans and even more concerned there would be an attempt to use Scottish War Blinded to support other services."
"The charity has always had huge reserves. [The tenants] are being evicted despite the charity having more than £30m in the bank. The number of people they support is inevitably decreasing. Very gradually, their numbers are diminishing year on year. There is plenty of money to support these people. There is no need to evict people from places where they've been supported for years in order to release more money."
Tenants Facing Uncertainty
When the charity announced the sale plans, there were 16 tenants at Linburn. Currently, there are 10 remaining.
One tenant, Pete Conaghan, aged 62, is a former staff sergeant in 1 PARA who served in the first Gulf War, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo. Five years after leaving the forces, he suffered a blood clot in his brain that affected his sight and mobility.
Since 2017, Conaghan has lived in one of the estate's purpose-built bungalows for visually impaired tenants but was informed last June that he would have to leave.
He described the situation as lacking clarity:
"It would be apparent to anyone that I haven't got a clue what is going on. It's crazy, so stressful. Nothing is in black and white. That is a massive difficulty for me and, I imagine, for other residents. They don't know from one day to the next whether they are coming or going. It's no way to live."
He added:
"At one point, we were told these houses would be turned into offices. That is one rumour, for want of a better word. Another rumour is they'll be knocked down. Nothing is clear. There were meetings at the very beginning. The residents were summoned at different times, like doctors' appointments. If I have tried to find out what's going on, to get something in black and white that is stating exactly what is going to occur, that's not been forthcoming. Some of the residents have already left. Others like myself are not able to do that. I'm not sure if the people who run the organisation are aware, but we are in a housing crisis."
Charity's Position and Financial Context
Last June, the BBC reported on Sight Scotland Veterans' plans to evict tenants. Follow-up visits confirmed that formal eviction proceedings are set to begin this year.
The Linburn estate was purchased in 1946 for £14,000 as a site dedicated to visually impaired veterans. Over time, it has evolved into a campus offering workshops, tuition, therapy, and housing.
The charity has faced financial difficulties, posting annual budget shortfalls between £4 million and £6 million since 2021. However, its latest accounts for 2024-25 show reserves exceeding £33 million.
In a statement, chief executive Craig Spalding said:
"Although the sale has yet to be finalised, selling this parcel of land - alongside increasing fundraising activity and reviewing the charity's expenditure - is necessary to ensure we can continue to support visually-impaired veterans into the future, including through the Linburn centre.
We shared information about our intention to sell the land for development and communicated our commitment to supporting residents throughout this process at the earliest opportunity. As our plans developed, we engaged regularly with tenants."
"We are aware of the speculation about the future of the site and recognise the impact this is having on residents. We will continue to engage constructively with all those affected to ensure they have access to accurate information and support to source alternative accommodation."
