Home   News   Article

Rhoda Grant calls for action on purchase of Scottish land by 'green lairds'


By Gordon Calder

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

A NORTH MSP has urged the Scottish Government "to end public subsidies to landowners who do not live on the land and pay their taxes in the UK."

The call was made by Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, who wants communities protected from off-market land sales by so called 'green lairds' – businesses or wealthy private purchasers who buy up land in Scotland to offset their carbon emissions. They have peatland restored or land planted with thousands of trees.

But Mrs Grant is concerned these increasing purchases can stop communities from buying local land and quizzed the Scottish Government on how it is going to tackle off-market sales of Scottish land – property which may not reach the open market – to these 'green lairds'.

She asked the Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Màiri McAllan what steps the Scottish Government is taking to deal with what she describes as " an urgent issue."

Labour's Rhoda Grant wants government action on so-called 'green lairds'
Labour's Rhoda Grant wants government action on so-called 'green lairds'

Mrs Grant claimed that over 11,000 acres of Cambusmore Estate, near Dornoch, is for sale after it sold off-market earlier this year.

The MSP said these types of off-market sales are increasing and maintained 'green lairds' "evict farmers to profit from carbon credits which adversely affects food production and food resilience in Scotland."

She urged the Scottish Government to end public subsidies to landowners who do not live on the land and pay their taxes in the UK.

The Minister answered Mrs Grant by stressing the Scottish Government implemented the 2016 Land Reform Act, set up the Scottish Land Commission and plan to introduce a Land Reform Bill which they will consult on in the summer. The consultation will include questions on the uses of public money and the recipients.

Mrs Grant said: "While the Scottish Government drag their feet in tackling this issue, the amount of land held by a small group of billionaires continues to increase. This is an urgent issue that needs urgent action.

"Community ownership is, in my opinion, the best pattern of ownership for rural Scotland. Land is an economic asset, and when locally owned it has the potential to benefit both the local community and fight the climate emergency."

The MSP has been calling for greater land reform and regulation by the Scottish Government for many years.

The 'green lairds' are able to claim Government grants and access tax arrangements, which can inflate land values. This, says Mrs Grant, disadvantages communities as they are priced out of purchasing local land.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More