The Scottish Land Commission yesterday welcomed the introduction of the Land Reform Bill by the Scottish Government, which sets out a clear commitment to addressing the challenges of concentrated land ownership.
Commenting on the Bill, Michael Russell, Chair of the Scottish Land Commission, explains: “We are pleased to welcome the publication of the Scottish Government’s new Land Reform Bill, which draws on our research and analysis.
“This landmark legislation is a meaningful and important step forward in addressing the over-concentration of land ownership, which continues to be a central issue in Scotland’s ongoing journey of land reform.
“Our research has consistently shown the pitfalls associated with such a concentration of land ownership, including the impacts that localised monopolies can have on local economic opportunities and communities.”
One of the key measures proposed within the Bill is a new power for Ministers to require the lotting, or dividing up, of larger land holdings in to smaller areas and a requirement to notify communities prior to sale.
Hamish Trench, Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, added: “Scotland’s land is a resource that people need to be able to use to support jobs, housing, climate action and economic opportunities across the country.
“The proposed measures in the Bill, including a new power for Ministers to require the lotting of large land holdings prior to sale, are significant steps towards a fairer and more dynamic approach to land ownership in Scotland.”
“Our research shows that governments worldwide often regulate land markets to safeguard the public interest and support sustainable development. In so doing Scotland would be operating within a widely recognised and accepted approach to land rights and regulation.”
“We look forward to providing further evidence and advice to support the Bill’s consideration in Parliament”
Research shows 50% spike in Scottish farmland market price
A REVEALING new report on land trends has brought fresh insights into the dynamics of rural land transactions in Scotland.
There is a notable upswing in the demand for farmland, with Eastern Scotland seeing £205,513,531 sold from 2020 to 2022.
Over the period spanning 2020 to 2022, the value of farmland witnessed a substantial uptick, surging by 58% in the North East and 42% in the South West of Scotland, indicative of a significant surge in market interest.
Published by the Scottish Land Commission (SLC), the Rural Land Market Report underscores a widespread appreciation in land values throughout Scotland, crediting this growth to sustained demand, even as the overall volume of land entering the market remained relatively stable.
The report also identifies that most sales were of moderately sized farms or forests, with over 93% of transactions taking place in Scotland for areas of land less than 500 hectares.
Hamish Trench, Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, said: “This report provides a vital window into the nature and scale of transactions occurring within Scotland’s rural land market over the past three years.
“The findings reinforce the conclusions of our earlier research, highlighting the range of influences affecting Scotland’s rural land market, and the significant regional and sectoral variations which clearly show increasing activity across the south of Scotland.
“While the volume of land coming to market has been relatively consistent over the past three years, the vast majority of sales are moderate-sized farms and forests, with very large land acquisitions much being rarer.”
The findings draw on data from the Registers of Scotland and the wider industry to evaluate the land market and property values across the country, focusing on farms, forests, and estates.
A total of 740 rural land sales took place over the three-year study period, of which 24 were for land over 1,000ha in size, and a further 27 for areas of between 500-1,000ha.
Farmland made up nearly 60% of total land sales. Eastern Scotland saw the highest concentration of deals, accounting for almost a third of national transactions while also having the top average prices per hectare at £17,535.
However, forestry land had a more mixed ride with prices peaking in 2021 before falling back again in 2022 – a move attributed to inflation and grant incentives no longer covering rising land costs.
The report highlights challenges around what is considered an “Estate” within the data, as a wide variety of transactions could fall into the category.
As a result, the report also notes a wide range in the sale prices of these “estates”, starting from as low as £60,000 and going up to £17.6 million over the three-year period.
Hamish added: “Through these reports, our commitment is to paint a clearer and more transparent picture of the rural land market, providing valuable insights to guide decisions on legal, policy, and practical changes.
“While we’ve successfully compiled a robust dataset, the report also underscores the necessity for ongoing reforms in how we collect and share data about land in Scotland.
“Transitioning towards a cadastral map system that consolidates information on land value, ownership, and use – a widely embraced approach in Europe – holds significant advantages. In the meantime, we will continue to work on how to make more of the existing data available.”
The report accompanies the Rural Land Market Insights Report published in May which identified the drivers and motivations influencing land sales and Acquisitions.
That report identified some key implications for public policy including a risk of increasing concentration in ownership, barriers to communities and individuals participating in the market and the risks where land is acquired primarily as a financial asset.
To read the Rural Land Market Report please visit:
Edinburgh residents are invited to join the Scottish Land Commission online at its latest virtual public meeting.
The meeting aims to give people the opportunity to talk about their local land, sharing the issues and questions they may have, and to find out about the Commission’s work to make more of Scotland’s land.
The informal meeting is one of a number which are being held – from Caithness and Sutherland to Dumfries and Galloway, and from Aberdeen to Skye, Raasay and Wester Ross – to learn about residents’ views on the land in their local areas, and give the public a better understanding of the Commission’s work on land reform and the role of land in creating a successful Scotland.
Chair of the Scottish Land Commission, Andrew Thin, said: “Land is at the heart of Scotland’s identity, economy and communities, so it matters that it is owned and used in a fair and productive way.
“We are keen to meet with people across the country to discuss the work we are doing to deliver change so that the ownership and use of land realises Scotland’s potential.”
The meetings cover a wide range of topics – from modernising land ownership and transforming vacant and derelict land, to housing, land rights and responsibilities, and the work of the Tenant Farming Commissioner.
Andrew Thin added: “We want to speak with as many people as possible and are using online meetings to make that happen.
“Advances in technology have made virtual meetings much more accessible to a majority of the population, and we would encourage people to join us from the comfort of their own home to discuss how we can make more of Scotland’s land for Scotland’s people.”
The free event is being held online on Wednesday 17 May 2023 at 7:00 pm and all Edinburgh residents are welcome to attend.
Book your free place now on the Scottish Land Commission’s website at:
Edinburgh locals encouraged to join the conversation on land reform
THE SECOND instalment of a popular free online webinar series has returned to coach people across Scotland on how to make the most of opportunities with the land and buildings around them.
After the first instalment was a major success, the 45-minute, informal lunchtime sessions will explore topics such as what Common Good land is and how it is managed. Other topics including rural housing and vacant and derelict land will also be covered.
The series will run fortnightly on Wednesdays from 18 January to 29 March and will share knowledge with attendees on how they can get involved in local land use decision-making to make a positive change.
Emma Cooper, Head of Land Rights and Responsibilities at the Scottish Land Commission, said: “The positive feedback from the first series of sessions highlighted how eager people across Scotland are to learn about and engage in discussions about the land around them and the role they can play in it.
“It’s crucial that we provide individuals with the tools and knowledge around land rights and responsibilities to ensure they know how to make a positive difference.
“As we look to do that, our ‘Land @ Lunch’ series aims to share ideas, allow people to join in on discussions, stimulate action and signpost people to useful tools and support a range of land reform topics.”
The Scottish Land Commission’s webinars aim to offer people the knowledge and tools to understand how Scottish land is used and manged and allow participants to engage in conversation relating to topical issues at the heart of Scotland’s land. The webinars are free, open to everyone, and informal, so participants are invited to take part whether they are at home or at work.
The Scottish Land Commission’s Land Right and Responsibilities Protocols set out practical advice on how land owners, land managers, and communities can work together to make better and fairer decisions about land use.
The Scottish Land Commission provides advice and recommendations for law and policy as well as leadership for change in culture and practice, working to create a Scotland where everybody can benefit from the ownership and use of the nation’s land and buildings.
To find out more information about the Land @ Lunch webinar series and to book your place, visit: landcommission.gov.scot/events.
To find out more about information about the Scottish Land Commission, visit: landcommission.gov.scot.
A FILM created by Aberdeenshire pupils has been displayed at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art after the school won a national competition.
Pupils from Kemnay Academy travelled to the capital to watch a film they created on local land being projected onto the museum after being announced as winners of the Scottish Land Commission’s MyLand.Scot ‘My Land, My Story’ campaign.
The film told the story of the area around Kemnay Quarry and the transformation the land has seen in the past, present and future – from producing granite that was used in the Scottish Parliament Building and Forth Road Bridge, to becoming a community and educational space.
Dexter Cook, a 16-year-old pupil from the school, said: “Creating the film has been a brilliant experience. It’s been fascinating to learn about our local land and get creative to showcase its use.
“The highlight was actually winning the competition. Everyone is extremely proud to have seen our film projected onto the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and it was such a fun day travelling to Edinburgh as a class for the event.”
The ‘My Land, My Story’ competition was launched by the Scottish Land Commission as part of its MyLand.Scot campaign in connection with VisitScotland’s Year of Stories 2022 to raise awareness among the younger generations about the range of positive ways land can be used and reused around the country.
Kemnay Academy received a £500 grant from the Scottish Land Commission to create their film on the Kemnay Quarry, which saw the school’s Environmental Sciences and Media Studies classes combine to bring the project to life.
Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Scotland’s land is a precious national resource that is fundamental to our economy, our environment, our wellbeing and our just transition to net zero.
“It also forms an important part of our history and culture – as demonstrated by Kemnay Academy in their impressive film. I offer my congratulations to the young winners for this excellent achievement.
“Scotland already has a long history of land reform, with the statutory Community Right to Buy, the Scottish Land Commission and the Scottish Land Fund empowering people across the country to benefit from the ownership and use of local assets.
“Through our ambitious new Land Reform Bill we will support this existing work to encourage and support responsible and diverse landownership – and create more opportunities for people and communities to determine how land in their area is used.”
MyLand.Scot is an online initiative which aims to highlight ways in which Scotland’s land is owned, used and managed. From social media-savvy farmers to communities transforming derelict land into gardens, the project uses case studies to showcase positive examples of land use around the country.
Hamish Trench, Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, said: “Pupils at Kemnay Academy have been incredibly creative in demonstrating ways in which young people in Scotland can engage in conversations around land use.
“It was exciting to see their production centre stage at the National Gallery of Modern Art and we hope that projects like this will continue to encourage young people to think of land in creative ways and encourage in conversations around Scottish land.”
The Scottish Land Commission works to create a Scotland where everybody can benefit from the ownership and use of the nation’s land and buildings.
‘Transformative changes’ are being proposed to the way Scotland’s land is used and managed in order to ensure greater benefit to communities and the environment.
The Scottish Government is seeking views on ambitious proposals for its new Land Reform Bill, which will be introduced by the end of 2023.
The Bill aims to address long-standing concerns about the highly concentrated pattern of land ownership in rural areas of Scotland.
Proposed measures include:
The introduction of a public interest test for transfers of large-scale landholdings
A requirement on owners of large-scale holdings to give prior notice to community bodies of their intention to sell
A requirement on those seeking land-based subsidies to have the land registered in the Land Register, to ensure transparency around who benefits from public funding
In addition, the consultation asks questions about how to ensure communities benefit from future investment in Scotland’s natural capital, and that there is greater transparency around land and asset ownership.
Environment and Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan visited The Ecology Centre in Kinghorn, Fife, to formally launch the consultation.
The centre is a community-led charity that has been supported with grant funding from the Scottish Land Fund.
Ms McAllan said: “Land reform is a pervasive issue in Scotland. We have a strong record of progressive and innovative land reform – but this journey is not complete. We must continue to develop and implement land reform that addresses historical inequalities and at the same time, we must rise to changing social, environmental and economic issues in contemporary Scotland.
“I recognise, and am fully committed to tackling, the adverse effects of scale and concentration of landownership – and empowering communities in the process.
“I am also clear that while investment in Scotland’s natural capital is vital to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, we must ensure that our people and communities are not disadvantaged and indeed can benefit.
“Finally, we must continue to improve transparency of ownership of land in Scotland.That’s why this summer we will be consulting on a wide range of transformative proposals – including our aim to ensure that the public interest is considered on transfers of particularly large-scale landholdings.
“The new Bill will be a significant step forward in ensuring our land is owned diversely and is used in the public interest and to the benefit of the people of Scotland.
“This is the next step on Scotland’s land reform journey as we continue the work to pass more power to people and local communities, encourage and support responsible and diverse landownership and ensure communities have a say in how land in is used.”
Chair of Community Land Scotland Ailsa Raeburn said: “Community Land Scotland warmly welcome the launch of the Consultation on the forthcoming Land Reform Bill. It is becoming ever clearer that who owns and controls land, is incredibly important in building a fairer greener Scotland.
“We very much hope the new Bill encompasses a range of measures that effectively tackles the endemic issues of scale and concentration of land ownership and the adverse effects this has on local communities. The Bill is a great opportunity to ensure Scotland’s land is owned and used fairly and that as many people as possible can benefit from it.”
Chair of the Scottish Land Commission Andrew Thin said: “The ways land is owned and used is central to tackling the climate emergency, contributing to a successful economy and supporting communities.
“It is great to see the Government launch the consultation of the upcoming Land Reform Bill which includes a range of potential measures to ensure that the benefit of land is shared by all.
“The Scottish Land Commission has been working over the last five years to provide a robust evidence base for our recommendations on making land work better in the public interest, highlighting the opportunity land reform can bring to Scotland and its people.
“I would encourage everyone to take part in the consultation and help to shape the next step in Scotland’s land reform journey.”
The Scottish Land Commission is continuing its calendar of online public meetings and the next will cover Edinburgh and the Lothians.
The informal public meeting online will give residents of Edinburgh and the Lothians the opportunity to find out more about land reform and the role of land in creating a successful Scotland.
The event is being held online on Wednesday 25 August 2021 at 7:00 pm.
Chair of the Scottish Land Commission, Andrew Thin, said: “Land is at the heart of Scotland’s identity, economy and communities, so it matters that it is owned and used in a fair and productive way. We are keen to meet with people across the country to discuss the work we are doing to deliver change so that the ownership and use of land realises Scotland’s potential.
“We are covering a variety of topics in our meetings – modernising land ownership, transforming vacant and derelict land, housing, putting into practice land rights and responsibilities, the work of the Tenant Farming Commissioner, and using the tax system to help achieve long term outcomes for land reform.
“Although we are unable to host events in person at present due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, we are keen to continue speaking with as many people as possible and using online meetings to make that happen.
“This is one of a number of online meetings that we have scheduled for the coming year, covering areas across the country from the Highlands to the Borders, Aberdeen to Fife, and we hope to meet virtually with as many people as possible.
“I would encourage everyone, from the comfort of their own home, to make the most of the opportunity to meet with us and discuss how we can make more of Scotland’s land for Scotland’s people.”
The event is free and all Edinburgh and Lothians residents are welcome to attend.
