SLE responds to Scottish Land Commission's 2025 Land Market Report

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has issued the following response to the Scottish Land Commission’s Rural Land Market Insights Report 2025, which explores trends in land sales across Scotland.

Stephen Young, Director of Policy at Scottish Land & Estates, said:

“This latest report provides a useful snapshot of activity in Scotland’s rural land market, drawing on insight from agents and property professionals.

“However, we remain seriously concerned by the Scottish Land Commission’s continued interpretation of the findings. Year after year, regardless of whether market activity is rising or falling, the Commission uses the report to argue for further legislative intervention.

“In 2023, then-chair Andrew Thin cited rising demand and prices as evidence of a ‘pressing need for action’, including the measures proposed in the Land Reform Bill.

“Now, despite the 2025 report indicating a continued fall in demand—particularly outside the farmland sector—the same conclusion is drawn. This suggests a pre-determined narrative that risks undermining meaningful understanding of market dynamics.

“According to the Scottish Government’s own data, community ownership continues to increase steadily, with assets rising from 663 in 2020 to 840 in 2023, now covering more than 200,000 hectares. This growth has occurred without the punitive and frankly unworkable proposals being pursued in the Land Reform Bill, such as lotting and prior notification.

“While interest from forestry and natural capital buyers has undoubtedly cooled, farmland transactions remain steady. It is crucial that policymakers take a long-term view, rather than using temporary fluctuations as a rationale for sweeping reform, particularly when the report itself acknowledges that the Land Reform Bill is already acting as a disincentive in the estate sales market.

“The constant uncertainty created by the relentless pursuit of land reform is now actively hindering transactions at a time when the Scottish Government says its aim is to reduce the concentration of ownership. To be clear, this is also impacting on investment in rural Scotland, something which is desperately needed.

“More broadly, this climate of uncertainty undermines the sustainability of rural businesses and communities already facing serious challenges, including depopulation, limited employment opportunities, and economic fragility. Rather than perpetuating instability, government policy should focus on enabling long-term investment and resilience in rural Scotland.”