Giving communities more of a say in land reform
Consultation on how Land Reform Act will empower people.
Communities will have more opportunities to have their say in shaping how Scotland's largest landholdings are managed under proposals now open for public consultation.
The Community Engagement Obligations and draft large land holdings guidance under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 consultation paper is the next step in ensuring communities have more information about large land holdings of more than 1,000 hectares.
It is seeking views on what information should be included in new Land Management Plans, required by the Act, and what landowners should do to involve the communities in the creation of these plans.
The consultation also gives consideration to introducing new processes for community groups to request to lease land or establish a croft, providing more opportunities for communities to use land for their benefit, and what enforcement should be available if these requirements are not met.
There is also an opportunity to comment on guidance that will help landowners understand if they own land that will be covered by these requirements.
Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin said:
“The Land Reform Act reflects our commitment to a fairer, more transparent and more inclusive system of land ownership and use. These proposals can ensure communities have better information about how large landholdings are managed and more opportunities to influence decisions that affect them and mark the next step in Scotland’s land reform journey.
“We saw strong engagement as our land reform legislation passed through Parliament, and I hope communities, landowners and others will bring that same enthusiasm to this public consultation on our plans.”
As the consultation will go over the festive period it will be open 14 weeks, rather than the usual 12 to allow as many people as possible to have their say.
Background
This consultation does not cover measures in Part 2 of The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 already considered during the Bill process, which relate to:
- small landholdings,
- agricultural holdings
- a model lease for environmental purposes and for hutting
A separate consultation will cover pre-notification or the requirement for Scottish Ministers to decide whether a land holding should be lotted before it can be sold.