News

SLE welcomes Scottish Government decision to withdraw short-term lets licensing regulations

General News

B&Bs, self-caterers and other providers of rural accommodation breathed a sigh of relief today following the Scottish Government’s decision to withdraw their proposed short-term lets licensing regulations. In a letter to the Local Government and Communities Committee, the Minister, Kevin Stewart MSP acknowledged the need to provide...

New regional land use partnerships

General News

The Scottish Government has today announced an extended pilot of Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) covering Cairngorms National Park, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, North East and South of Scotland. Previous pilot areas were in Aberdeenshire and the Borders. We are supportive in principle of Regional Land Use Partnerships...

SLE Highland Committee welcomes engagement with Cabinet Secretary

Press Release

Saving jobs and businesses must be our shared priority for the rural Highland economy. This was the message from Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) Highland Committee members as they met with Highland MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes. The meeting was an opportunity for SLE committee members to delve deeper into the Government...

Latest land reform discussion paper ‘not reflective’ of modern ownership and land use models

Press Release

Following publication by the Scottish Land Commission of a new discussion paper on land reform legislative proposals, Scottish Land & Estates, which represents land businesses across Scotland, has issued this statement. Mark Tennant, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “We have now had 20 years of intensive land reform legislation...

SLE appoints two new regional Chairs

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the rural business membership organisation, has appointed two new Chairs covering the South West of Scotland. Laura Warrender, from Minuntion Estate near Girvan, Ayrshire, takes up the role of Clydeside Chair. Sir David Hope-Dunbar of St Mary’s Isle Estate, Kirkcudbright, is SLE’s new Dumfries & Galloway...

Welcome measures announced in the Scottish Government budget

Press Release

Increased support for peatland restoration and additional funding for tree planting and woodland creation were among the measures announced in the Scottish Government’s budget welcomed by SLE yesterday. The budget heeded the call of SLE and other stakeholders to support our agricultural sector, with additional support for farmers and...

Protection for mountain hare increases to full protection from 1 March 2021

General News

The Statutory Instrument was laid in the Scottish Parliament today (27 January) to enable provisions for licensing control of mountain hares under the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 to take effect this year. This formal procedure was anticipated and from 1 March it will be illegal to...

NFUS and Scottish Land & Estates join call for action against flytipping

Press Release

Small Businesses and farmers are calling for urgent action on flytipping. That was the message from NFU Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) when they joined other stakeholders today (28 January) in a roundtable meeting with Roseanna Cunningham , Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform , to discuss how the...

SLE opposes inappropriate regulations on B&Bs, self-caterers and small businesses

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has warned that proposed Scottish Government regulations for short-term let accommodation could have disastrous consequences for the rural economy. The regulations are under consideration by the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee. Devised to tackle anti-social behaviour and lack...

SLE backs livestock attack Bill

Press Release

Targeted legislation to deal with dog attacks on livestock is a hugely welcome move for rural Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates said today. The rural business organisation has said it supports the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, a Members Bill brought forward by Emma Harper MSP. The Bill will be debated by...