Milestone legislation to increase transparency about the
ownership of land and increase protections for tenant farmers and
small landholders will be considered by Parliament.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill would apply to large landholdings
of over 1,000 hectares, prohibiting sales in certain cases until
Ministers can consider the impact on the local community.
This could lead to some landholdings being lotted into smaller
parts if that may help local communities.
It proposes empowering communities with increased opportunities
to own land through introducing advance notice of certain sales
from large landholdings.
The debate, which will open on Tuesday, will also consider
greater protections for tenant farmers and small landholders, and
how they can have more say over using land to become more
sustainable and productive.
Rural Affairs Secretary said:
“This Bill would mean large estates cannot be sold until
Ministers have considered the impact on communities, and whether
a more diverse pattern of ownership would be beneficial.
“The Scottish Parliament has long championed land reform.
Modernisation is necessary to increase transparency, allowing
communities to truly benefit from the land they live and work on,
as well as to ensure that we protect tenant farmers and small
landholders from being exploited.
“This Bill gives us the chance to move the dial and make real
progress in how our land is owned and managed, for the benefit of
all of Scotland's people, rather than the few.”
