Research and reports

Review of Funding Sources for the Re-Use of Vacant and Derelict Land

An updated Review of Funding Sources for the Re-Use of Vacant and Derelict Land carried out by Ryden - published in March 2022.

Land Lines: Balancing rights and interests in Scottish land reform

The seventh in our series of Land Lines discussion papers, by James Mure QC, looks at the current legal context of human rights law in Scotland and its implications for any new proposals addressing land ownership.

Land Reform and Taxation: Advice to Scottish Ministers

This report sets out our advice on the role of taxation in supporting current land reform objectives. It aims to assist Ministers in considering the role of taxation in relation to land.

Understanding the Benefits of Diversification in Ownership, Tenure, and Control

A more diverse pattern of land ownership, tenure and/or control would allow more people in Scotland to enjoy the associated rights, opportunities, and responsibilities. There is evidence to suggest that greater diversification of land ownership, tenure and control can stimulate wideranging economic, social and environmental benefits which will promote more inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Scotland over the years to come.

Land and Property Taxation in Scotland: Policy proposals for devolved taxes

This work builds on a comprehenive scoping study commissioned by the Scottish Land Commission, which explored opportunities for using tax to achieve land reform objectives and provided a framework within which opportunities could be assessed and implemented.

Land Focus: Land for Housing and Development

This Land Focus paper explores the Commission's review of land for housing, which proposes five recommendations suggesting a new model where the public sector takes a leading role in the housing land market to create places people want to live at prices they can afford.

Land for Housing: Towards a Public Interest Led Approach to Development

The Commission's review of land for housing proposes five recommendations suggesting a new model where the public sector takes a leading role in the housing land market to create places people want to live at prices they can afford.

Vacant and Derelict Land Recommendations: Response from Ministers

Response from Roseanna Cunningham to the Scottish Land Commission's Vacant and Derelict Land recommendations.

Summary: Legislative proposals to address the impact of Scotland's concentration of land ownership

Summary of the Legislative proposals to address the impact of Scotland's concentration of land ownership report.

Legislative proposals to address the impact of Scotland’s concentration of land ownership

Scotland’s unusually concentrated pattern of land ownership is a matter of longstanding concern. Many people are deeply uncomfortable with the fact that so much of Scotland is owned or controlled by so few, in a pattern that is not necessarily shaped for today’s needs.

Municipal Forests vs Community Woodlands

This report was written as a result of a project undertaken thanks to the funding of the Scottish Land Commission Student Award during the year 2020. It aims to explore the participation and use by the public of urban forests comparing two systems, communal forest ownership in France and community woodland in Scotland, drawing on interviews with key people involved in forest management and/or ownership in France and Scotland.

Land and property taxation in Scotland: Initial scoping of options for reform

This report concludes by proposing a number of areas for further research into potential reforms to land and property taxation that build on Scottish Government policy objectives.