On November 5, 2025, the Scottish Parliament passed what many are calling the most radical land reform legislation since devolution, igniting a fierce debate over the future of Scotland’s countryside, its communities, and its economy. The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, after three days of intense debate and nearly 400 amendments, cleared Parliament with 85 votes in favor, 28 against, and nine abstentions, according to BBC News. The new law aims to tackle the long-standing issue of concentrated land ownership—an issue so entrenched that, as research by former Green MSP Andy Wightman revealed, about half of Scotland’s privately owned land is controlled by just 420 individuals.
The government’s stated goal is to break up these large estates, giving communities a greater say in what happens on the land and expanding opportunities for community buyouts. Under the new rules, any landholding larger than 1,000 hectares that comes up for sale cannot be transferred until the owner applies to ministers for a decision on whether the land should be subdivided into smaller lots—a process known as the “transfer test.” If a sale is proposed, owners must notify the government, which in turn must inform local community groups, giving them the chance to purchase the land themselves. Owners of large landholdings are now also required to publish land management plans, with fines of up to £40,000 for non-compliance.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon, who steered the bill through Parliament, defended the legislation robustly. She told MSPs, as reported by BBC News, “Tenant farmers and small landholders are vital to the fabric of our rural communities, and these reforms will help them to make a decent living on their holding and make improvements on the land they work on.” Gougeon emphasized that the reforms would allow communities to “breathe new life into rural communities” and that the measures were “balanced and proportionate.” She also highlighted the historic context, noting, “Scotland’s concentrated patterns of ownership developed over centuries, with ownership and control of our nation’s land in the hands of the few for too long.”
The Bill doesn’t stop at lotting provisions. It also paves the way for the creation of a Land and Communities Commissioner—an independent body tasked with overseeing, investigating, and reporting on the implementation of the new rules. Ministers have promised a swift consultation on the powers of the Tenant Farming Commissioner and alternative dispute resolution options, inviting tenant farmers, small landholders, and crofters to contribute their views in the coming weeks.
Supporters of the Bill, like SNP MSP Emma Roddick, have hailed it as a “watershed moment” and a clear sign that change is coming. Roddick said, “For too long, too much control over land has been hoarded by lairds and wealthy landowners—this Bill marks a watershed moment and sends a clear signal that change is coming.” She called on Parliament to unite, arguing that the Bill “builds on the 2016 Act, which created the Scottish Land Commission and continues to improve the hard-won rights of communities and tenant farmers.”
Yet, not everyone is convinced the Bill goes far enough. Community Land Scotland, which represents community landowners, described the reforms as a “step forward,” but warned that “the measures did not go far enough to meaningfully intervene in the land market and change landownership patterns.” Scottish Green rural affairs spokesperson Ariane Burgess echoed this sentiment, saying ministers had shown a “lack of ambition to deliver the real land reform that is so vital.” Scottish Labour’s rural affairs spokeswoman Rhoda Grant was similarly underwhelmed, labeling the Bill “weak” and “largely tinkering around the edges,” with the only significant change being the introduction of “untested lotting provisions” and a move to stop off-market sales.
On the other side of the aisle, critics have warned of dire economic consequences. Scottish Financial Enterprise chief executive Sandy Begbie issued a stark warning to Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon, stating the Bill “could have profound and detrimental consequences for the stability and attractiveness of Scotland’s land market.” Begbie argued that the law would “create a significant deterrent to investment in Scotland, contrary to the Scottish Government’s stated goals for economic growth.” He cautioned that the ripple effects could hit investor confidence and risk future investment across sectors supported by financial services, including agriculture, forestry, natural capital, and renewables.
Scottish Conservative rural affairs spokesperson Tim Eagle was even more direct in his criticism, describing the legislation as “unworkable and devastating,” and warning it would “damage rural businesses and reduce the land available for rent.” He lamented that “SNP ministers had a perfect opportunity to listen to the concerns of those who drive our economy in rural Scotland throughout this debate, but typically decided they know what’s best.” Eagle insisted that the measures “will have the opposite effect to what they claim, and will damage rural businesses and reduce the land available for rent.”
Concerns about property rights and legal ambiguity have also surfaced. Patrick Colquhoun, assistant chief executive of Luss Estates and vice-chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, told the BBC’s Scotcast podcast that the legislation could lead to an “infringement” on property rights. He worried that the definition of a large landholding could be reduced even further in the future, potentially threatening smaller holdings and even private gardens. Don Macleod, head of land and property at law firm Turcan Connell, was equally skeptical, describing the Bill as “junk” and warning that “ambiguity over the definition of a large landholding could make the law unworkable and impossible.”
The Bill’s passage was marked by a flurry of last-minute activity, with over 400 amendments considered in the final stage of voting. Scottish Labour, while ultimately supporting the Bill, criticized the SNP for an “overall lack of ambition.” As Labour’s Rhoda Grant put it, “This was a chance to deliver a landmark piece of legislation and take a clear step towards tackling the inequality in Scotland’s land ownership—but the SNP has squandered that opportunity.”
Despite the legislative victory, the debate over Scotland’s land reform is far from settled. While the government insists the Bill is a necessary and overdue correction to centuries of concentrated land ownership, critics from across the political spectrum argue either that it doesn’t go far enough or that it risks undermining the very fabric of rural Scotland. The coming months will see further consultations and, no doubt, more heated debate as the reforms begin to take shape on the ground. For now, one thing is clear: Scotland’s land, and who controls it, is once again at the center of national conversation.
