Research and Reports

Next steps for community ownership in Scotland

PDF | 1.97 MB
Next steps for community ownership in Scotland

Authored by:
Scottish Land Commission

Published:
14 July, 2026

Policy theme:
Community ownership and participation

8. References

Community Enterprise (2024) Cold Spots of Community-led Activity. Available at: https://communityenterprise.co.uk/assets/uploads/ DOCUMENTS/cel038-wgf-cold-spots-digital-s5-v1.pdf 

Community Land Scotland (2024) Community Ownership Hub: Final Report Summary. Available at: https://www.communitylandscotland.org.uk/wp content/uploads/2024/08/Community-Ownership-Hub-Final-Report Summary-Aug-2024-DIGITAL-A4-.pdf 

Community Land Scotland (2025) Scottish Land Fund Briefing. Available at: https://www.communitylandscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ Scottish-Land-Fund-Briefing.pdf 

Daniels, M., Mallows, C., Macaulay, B., & Bryce, R. (2025) Biodiversity and community owned land in Scotland – an analysis. Available at: https://www. perth.uhi.ac.uk/t4-media/one-web/perth/subject-areas/mountain-studies/ biodiversity-and-community-owned-land-in-scotland.pdf 

Development Trust Association Scotland (2025) Development Trusts: Community Ownership Economic Impact. Available at: https:// dtascommunityownership.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ Development-Trusts-Community-Ownership-Economic-Impact.pdf 

Doyle, C. (2023) “Rethinking Communities, Land and Governance: Land Reform in Scotland and the Community Ownership Model,” Planning Theory and Practice. Routledge, pp. 429–441. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080 /14649357.2023.2225322 

Macaulay, B., Mallows, C. and Daniels-Creasey, A. (2026) SEFARI Fellowship to understand changes in demand for largescale community land acquisitions and identify barriers and solutions to new acquisitions. Available at: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/SEFARI-Fellowship to-understand-changes-in-demand-for-largescale-community-land acquisitions-and-identify-barriers-and-solutions-to-new-acquisitions.pdf 

MacPherson, D., Macleod F., McGhee W., Westwater, D., & Paterson J., (2021) Community Ownership Financing: Options to Complement the Scottish Land Fund. Scottish Land Commission, Commissioned Report Available at: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/ downloads/62baf1a4b87fa_Community-Ownership-Financing-Options-to Complement-the-Scottish-Land-Fund.pdf 

MacPherson, D., MacLeod Campbell Stewart MacLennan, F. and Lockhart, J. (2019) The Range, Nature and Applicability of Funding Models to Support Community Land Ownership. Available at: https://www. landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/5dd67846bf29c_The-Range-Nature and-Applicability-of-Funding-Models-to-Support-Community-Land Ownership-FINAL-Draft-1.pdf 

McMorran, R., Glass, J., McKee, A., Atterton, J., Combe, M., Xu, T., Jones, S. and Perez Certucha, E. (2019). Review of International Experience of Community, Communal and Municipal Ownership of Land. Scottish Land Commission, Commissioned Report. Available at: https://www. landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/5e8c359e459f3_A-International Community-Ownership-Review-Final-Report.pdf Mc Morran, R., Lawrence, A., Glass, J., Hollingdale, J., McKee, A., Campbell, D. and Combe, M. (2018) Review of the effectiveness of current community ownership mechanisms and of options for supporting the expansion of community ownership in Scotland. Scottish Land Commission, Commissioned Report. Available at: https://landcommission.gov.scot/ downloads/5dd698fa2e391_1-Community-Ownership-Mechanisms-SRUC Final-Report-For-Publication.pdf 

Merrell, I., Wheatley, H., Pate, L., Glendinning, J., Nelson, B., and MacKessack-Leitch, J. (2024) Rural Land Market Insights Report 2024. A report commissioned by the Scottish Land Commission. Available at: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/667181ec2c80d_Rural Land-Market-Insights-Report-2024.pdf 

Rostan, J., Gibson-Poole, S. and Mackessack-Leitch, J. (2025). Analysis of land sales. Available at: https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/ downloads/6936fb00e2789_Rural-Land-Market-Data-Report-2025.pdf 

Scottish Government (2017) Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/ documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2017/09/ scottish-land-rights-responsibilities-statement/documents/00525166 pdf/00525166-pdf/govscot%3Adocument/00525166.pdf 

Scottish Government (2024) Community Ownership User Guide. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/community-ownership-in-scotland user-guide/pages/definitions/ 

Scottish Government (2025) Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015: update and findings report. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/ publications/community-empowerment-scotland-act-2015-update findings-report 

Scottish Government (2025) Community Ownership in Scotland 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/community-ownership-in scotland-2024/ Scottish Government (2025) Community Rights to Buy Consultation: analysis of the responses. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/ content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-analysis/2025/12/ community-rights-buy-consultation-analysis-responses/documents/ community-rights-buy-consultation-analysis/community-rights-buy consultation-analysis/govscot%3Adocument/community-rights-buy consultation-analysis.pdf

Scottish Government (2026) Community Rights-to-Buy review. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/ publications/strategy-plan/2026/03/community-rights-buy-review/ documents/community-rights-buy-review/community-rights-buy-review/ govscot%3Adocument/community-rights-buy-review.pdf 

Scottish Land Commission (2018) Community Ownership and Community Right to Buy Recommendations to Scottish Ministers 5dd69d73873ae_ Community-Ownership-Report-SLC-Recommendations-to-Ministers.pdf 

Scottish Land Commission (2025) Advice to Ministers on the Land Reform Bill- Part 1. https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/ downloads/678a33f1a293e_Advice-to-Ministers-LRB-Part-1-Jan25.pdf 

Scottish Land Commission (2026) ScotLand Futures: What we heard https:// www.landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/692444ee87aac_ScotLand Futures-What-We-Heard-FINAL.pdf

Scottish Parliament (2025) Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/ s6-bills/community-wealth-building-scotland-bill/introduction/ spbill62pms062025accessible.pdf

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