News

FAST calls for urgent co-design commitment from Scottish Government

Press Release

The recently-established Food & Agriculture Stakeholders’ Taskforce (FAST) today challenged the Scottish Government to take urgent steps to include the farming industry in the co-design of future agriculture policy. During a seminar at AgriScot, FAST representative, Doug Bell, called on Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs...

SLE statement on The RSPB’s Birdcrime 2021 report

Press Release

Following publication of the RSPB’s Birdcrime 2021 report, Scottish Land & Estates has issued the following statement. “We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any act of raptor persecution or bird crime. Our members are wholly committed to a zero tolerance of illegal activity. Anyone who commits a bird crime should be punished...

SLE welcomes Anna to property policy role

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has welcomed a new rural property expert to its headquarters policy team. Anna Gardiner has joined SLE as a Policy Adviser (Rural Property), bringing a wealth of experience from her career in commercial and residential property. From a childhood on a farm in the Scottish Borders, Anna went on to study Land Economy...

New planning framework's flexibility can benefit rural Scotland

Press Release

Rural-focused provisions within the latest draft of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) have been given a cautious welcome by rural business organisation, Scottish Land & Estates. The approach contained within NPF4 includes: A shift towards more presumption in favour of rural development, especially to support fragile communities...

Scotland’s rural communities ‘need parity’ on government’s energy price support

Press Release

Scotland’s rural communities risk entering severe fuel poverty this winter after ‘falling between the cracks’ of the UK Government’s energy support scheme, a rural organisation has warned today. Scottish Land & Estates has written to the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack MP, urging government to take action to alleviate the...

Land reform plans threaten to hit taxpayers and Net Zero ambitions

Press Release

The Scottish Government’s new land reform plans threaten to waste millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money and jeopardise the drive towards Net Zero. Land-based businesses across Scotland say key proposals in the forthcoming Land Reform Bill put at risk extensive investment in climate change measures, jobs and community benefits and could...

Licensing grouse shooting must not jeopardise jobs and conservation

Press Release

Rural organisations said today the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce a licensing scheme for grouse shooting must not jeopardise vital jobs and important conservation work in some of the country’s most fragile, rural areas. Following the announcement today by the Scottish Government of a public consultation on a forthcoming...

Lettings coalition will seek legal opinion on Scotland’s rent freeze and eviction ban

Press Release

A coalition of landlord and lettings bodies is seeking legal advice on the Scottish Government’s rent freeze and eviction ban legislation. The coalition is formed between the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL), Propertymark, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and Scottish Land and Estates (SLE). The Scottish...

Private rented sector well out of balance after emergency powers passed

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has said that the disproportionate shift in the balance between tenant and landlord rights will lead to reduced availability of much-needed homes in the coming months and years. The rural business organisation, which represents some of the largest providers of housing in rural Scotland, made the comments following...

Winners from Skye down to the South of Scotland crowned in the Helping It Happen Awards 2022

Press Release

With winners covering many parts of Scotland, from Skye to the South of Scotland and many places in between, the Helping It Happen Awards 2022 have once again congratulated some of Scotland’s most innovative, diverse and imaginative rural businesses. The Helping It Happen Awards, supported by headline sponsor NatureScot, enjoyed an in...