Land policy should focus on delivering homes, growth and environmental benefits

Press Release

Scotland’s land reform policy must be judged by what it delivers, not simply who owns the land, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has told MSPs.

Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs Committee yesterday (29 October), SLE chief executive Sarah-Jane Laing called for a broader focus on what land delivers for Scotland, supported by better evidence and practical measures to create opportunities for rural communities.

Sarah-Jane Laing said: “We want this parliamentary session to examine how land can deliver more homes, economic growth, climate resilience, woodland creation and biodiversity. The debate must look beyond ownership alone and consider how we build on the benefits land already provides.

“Whether land is owned privately, publicly or by communities, the real test should be whether it supports jobs, provides homes, creates opportunities and delivers environmental benefits. Ownership matters, but what land delivers matters more.”

Ms Laing said the previous parliamentary session had placed considerable emphasis on land ownership. She urged MSPs to use the current session to examine how land use can help address Scotland’s most pressing challenges - including rural depopulation.

Last year, a report by SLE said Scotland must draw on international best practice to urgently tackle rural depopulation, including the establishment of Repopulation Priority Areas.

In her appearance at Holyrood, Ms Laing also called for a comprehensive national land dataset to strengthen the evidence base for future policy decisions. 

And with rural businesses facing ever-increasing financial pressures, SLE also urged caution over proposals for additional land taxation.

Ms Laing said: “If we are serious about evidence-led land reform, we need rapid progress and adequate resourcing for better land information and data. 

“Scotland’s rural ambitions depend on investment. Landowners and rural businesses are already facing rising costs, reducing their ability to invest in housing, employment, environmental management and local infrastructure.

“Any proposals for additional taxation must be assessed against their impact on that investment and on the wider rural economy. We should be encouraging responsible investment in Scotland’s land, not making it harder to deliver the outcomes that land reform is intended to achieve.

“Private landowners, community organisations and public bodies all have an important role to play in Scotland’s future. The focus of land reform should not simply be who owns Scotland’s land, but what Scotland’s land delivers for its people.”