THE Isle of Skye quarry in Green Moor has been bought by a group of six residents and three parish councillors using their own money . The Friends of the Isle of Skye Quarry paid £33,000 at an auction last month because they wanted it to be retained for community use. Hunshelf Parish Council didn’t have time before the auction to apply for funding so the group was formed to go in with private money. The Friends will now lease it to Hunshelf Parish Council for £1 a year (to be returned by donation) until the parish council has attained funding to buy it outright for the same price. Parish council clerk and Friend David Horsfall said: “It says a lot about this community that nine people are prepared to invest in it.” The quarry is valued by the community because of its beacon and viewing platform built with Lottery money in 2001. It was put up for sale by its previous owners, the Fielding brothers from Sheffield, after a number of planning applications to develop the land were turned town. When it was put up for sale earlier this year the Friends were determined to buy it. Doris Stubbs said: “We wanted to preserve the quarry so the parishioners have access to it and so it remains unspoilt. The only way to do that was to buy it. “It’s such a beautiful piece of land and it holds special memories for a lot of parishioners.” Green Moor Sports Club received 11 per cent of the sale price because part of the land sold belongs to the club.