Land Reform To Keep Scottish Land With EU

Posted on 8 December, 2014 by Cliff Goodwin

The Scottish government has launched a double-edged land reform consultation which will make it easier to trace landowners — but severely restrict who the land can be sold to.

Scotland flag waving on the wind on the sky

Existing methods can make it laborious to trace and contact landowners, claims ScotGov, “frequently obscuring who actually has control over land and making it very difficult for those seeking to engage with land owners”.

Its Future of Land Reform in Scotland exercise not only aims to remove the hoops potential investors and developers need to go through to establish land ownership, but it also wants to ban companies, trusts and partnerships based outwith the European Union from acquiring Scottish land.

“The Scottish Government’s vision is for a strong relationship between the people of Scotland and the land of Scotland,” explained the newly-appointed Environment and Land Reform Minister Aileen McLeod.

“We want to see the ownership and use of land deliver greater public benefits through a democratically accountable and transparent system of land rights that promotes fairness and social justice, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.

“I am keen to see a fairer and more equitable distribution of land in Scotland where communities and individuals can own and use land to realise their potential,” added McLeod. “Scotland’s land must be an asset that benefits the many, not just the few.”

Under the present system, information on who owns land is held by various bodies including Registers of Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and all the country’s local authorities. “This consultation will look at finding ways to bring this information together, which will not only inform debate and public decision making but also help private decision making and drive opportunity,” the minister said.

The initiative will also look at ways of modernising how “Common Good” — the name given to the inherited property of the former burghs of Scotland — should be used, managed and transferred.

“There are many different types of ‘Common Good’ assets, such as a local park or a building like a local town hall,” said McCloed. “It is important that these assets are managed appropriately, especially where they have historical, social, cultural or environmental importance to the local community.”

Last week Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, confirmed her government was trebling the Scottish Land Fund, from £3m this year to £10m by 2016, with much of that cash raised by removing tax breaks for sporting estates.




Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Recent Posts

Interest Rates Impact on Commercial Property

Commercial Property Investment Outlook for 2023

The best places to stay on the Riviera

The latest property data has identified Newquay as the fastest property seller’s market in the UK

Investing in your garden can increase your property’s value

French Riviera temping high-end homebuyers

How can the ownership rights of my commercial property impact a business sale?

Should I incorporate virtual property viewings permanently?

Investment expected to increase across Asia-Pacific in 2021

UK property industry slows as the conclusion of tax break looms

BNP Paribas cautioned investors on Friday as debt-trading bonanza that increased its earnings this past year

Over 300,000 property purchases fell through in 2020 – we show the most frequent motives and the best way to get your house sale back on track

House Prices in the Capital Surpass £500,000

Optimism from the Bank of England’s chief economist

The most expensive commercial properties.

Businesses operating from shared premises will miss out on grants