Understanding what’s happening with Scotland’s land

9 July, 2026

Demand for large-scale community land ownership remains strong, but progress is slowing

In this blog, lead researcher Dr Bobby Macaulay comments on the findings of the SEFARI study (co-authored with Alys Daniels-Creasey and Catriona Mallows), and highlights the opportunities and challenges facing community ownership today.

7 July, 2026

Better land data could transform how Scotland plans for the future

Scotland could unlock major benefits for communities, public services and the economy by modernising how it collects and uses land information, according to new research published by the Scottish Land Commission.

16 June, 2026

Cabinet Secretary visits Tarras Valley to see land reform in action

Representatives from Tarras Valley Nature Reserve shared the inspiring story of their community buyout with Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin MSP during a visit to Langholm.

9 June, 2026

Caution replaces speculation in Scotland’s rural land market

A more cautious and selective approach to buying land is emerging across Scotland’s rural land market, according to a new report published by the Scottish Land Commission.

26 May, 2026

A proactive approach to bringing ownerless land back into use in Scotland

Until three years ago, the KLTR only dealt with ownerless property brought to our attention via referrals. Recommendations from the Scottish Land Commission encouraged the KLTR to change approach leading to the creation of the KLTR’s Ownerless Property Transfer Scheme (OPTS).

12 May, 2026

Seeing past the stereotypes: Building trust through constructive conversations about land

I’ve been struck by the clarity of one message that is coming through this work - the importance of building trust and challenging inflammatory language.

19 March, 2026

Tax could help drive climate action and land reform – but report finds peatland carbon tax faces practical challenges

New advice published today by the Scottish Land Commission explores how tax and fiscal policy could play a stronger role in helping Scotland cut greenhouse gas emissions from land while supporting land reform objectives.

26 February, 2026

How Scotland can open up land opportunities

The Scottish Land Commission has today published a policy roadmap as the culmination of its ScotLand Futures initiative, setting out how Scotland can go further in reforming the ownership and use of land.