Review of the Guidance on Engaging Communities in Decisions Relating to Land

2. Background to the Guidance

The Act places a statutory duty on Scottish Ministers to issue the Guidance and to lay periodic reports before the Scottish Parliament assessing the effectiveness of the Guidance and any steps needed to improve it. The first statutory report was laid before the Scottish Parliament in March 2021, three years after the Guidance’s publication, and the Act requires subsequent reports to be laid every five years. This report therefore meets the legal duty for the second statutory report to be laid by March 2026.

The 2021 report found that the Guidance remained a useful tool and a strong foundation for encouraging community engagement. It also identified areas where effectiveness could be improved. Because many of these could be addressed through practice improvements, supporting materials and wider policy activity, the Guidance itself was not updated at that time.

Since 2018 there have been a number of changes in the land use and community engagement landscapes. This report assesses the Guidance to ensure it is still fit for purpose in 2026.