The work of Scottish Land & Estates is driven by our membership and their desire to represent and demonstrate the contributions they make to rural Scotland.

The organisation operates through its Policy and Regional teams, managed by an executive team headed by the Chief Executive and overseen by the Board of Directors. A strong and effective policy team is a prerequisite to effective influencing and is essential to the work we do on a daily basis with Government in the many stakeholder groups and ministerial working groups on which we sit.

Central to this work is the active participation and contribution of our members who populate our Policy and Regional teams. This brings great practical experience and realism to the policy and representational work and outputs of the organisation.

We also draw on wider professional expertise to support our work. As well as our landowning members, we also have very active professional members. We count all the major land agents operating in Scotland in our ranks as well as many of Scotland’s legal and accountancy firms operating in the rural and agricultural sectors – see the Suppliers’ Directory. Members get involved in the policy and representational work by joining one of our core policy groups – which feature a mix of landowning and professional members.

We currently have three core policy areas that reflect the core focus of the organisation:

• 09/05/2013 - Consultation response: views on Environmental Impact Assessments
  ScottishLand& Estates has raised concerns that proposals to significantly alter the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive will add substantial cost and regulatory burden to the Scottish planning system and potentially restrict the future of rural development. To read our response in full, please click on the pdf below
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• 25/04/2013 - Ag Holdings 04: Supreme Court Judgement in Salvesen V Riddell
  Ten years after the enactment of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003, an important subsection of that Act (s 72(10)) has been held by the Supreme Court to be outwith the competency of the Scottish Parliament, in that a landlord’s rights under article 1 of the First Protocol of the European Convention of Human Righ
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• 16/04/2013 - W&PR 06: Agricultural operations and overhead power lines
  All overhead power lines (OHPLs) and other electrical apparatus can be extremely dangerous. This Information Sheets encourages members to consider the risks when undertaking agricultural operations close to OHPLs and taking precautions to protect themselves, staff and contractors.  
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• 15/04/2013 - W&PR 05: Management of trees and vegetation near electricity cables
  Electricity companies (such as National Grid, Scottish and Southern Energy, and Scottish Power) are required by law to keep trees clear of overhead power lines (OHPLs) for reasons of public safety. Since 2009 there has also been a requirement to maintain a sufficient clearance between trees and OHPLs in order to avoid them in
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• 11/04/2013 - Planning 06: Strategic Development Plans/ Local Development Plans – Development Scheme Timetables
  The development planning regulations require Structure Plans and Local Plans to be replaced by Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) and Local Development Plans (LDPs). The four main city regions are covered by SDPs with LDPs sitting below. LDPs operate as a single tier to guide development in areas outwith city regions.  
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• 09/04/2013 - PRS 20: Tenant Information Pack
  From 1st May 2013, landlords who provide assured or short assured tenancies will have a legal duty to provide new tenants with a tenant information pack, under section 30A of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988. Section 33 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 and subsequent regulations (The Tenant Information Packs (
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• 09/04/2013 - Consultation response: Better Dispute Resolution in Housing
  ScottishLand & Estates has responded to a consultation on options for improvement to the landscape for rented housing dispute resolution in Scotland. The consultation examined three principal options: The expansion of mediation, other forms of alternative dispute resolution and other early preventative action by t
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• 21/03/2013 - Scottish Land & Estates responds to Regeneration Inquiry
  Scottish Land & Estates has submitted written evidence in response to the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee’s ‘Delivery of Regeneration in Scotland Inquiry’ As part of our response we emphasis the need for an effective planning system as well as better access to funding. We also enc
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• 08/03/2013 - Evidence Session on Rent Review Working Group Report
    Scottish Land & Estates has been invited to give evidence to the Rural Affairs Climate Change and Environment Committee on 20 March 2013 on the report of the Rent Review Working Group.   In advance of that evidence session, a brief paper has been lodged with the Committee and can be accessed below.
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• 07/03/2013 - Scottish Land and Estates provide MSPs with briefing for Wild Land debate
      The Scottish Parliament debated a motion earlier this week on a proposal to officially designate Wild Land in Scotland.  Scottish Land & Estates provided MSPs with a briefing outlining our position.   MSPs supporting the motion have concerns about newer economic developments such as wind farms in areas
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• 07/03/2013 - Providing Volunteering Opportunities
  There are a number of good reasons why estates, farms and other rural businesses may wish to provide volunteering opportunities, and if clear and appropriate arrangements are put in place in advance, venturing down this route can provide positive benefits for such businesses, for the volunteers and for the local area.  
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• 04/03/2013 - Water 01: The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009
  The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 was enacted on 16 June 2009 and repeals the Flood Prevention Act 1961. 
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• 21/02/2013 - Consultation on owner/occupiers right to control deer on agricultural land and woodland
  Scottish Land & Estates have recommended that the close season for adult female deer under the General Authorisation should be extended at least until 30th September to minimise risk of leaving dependent calves.
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• 06/02/2013 - Briefing Note: Delivery of Regeneration in Scotland Inquiry – Call for Written Evidence
  In January, the Local Government and Regeneration Committee launched an Inquiry to identify and examine best practice and limitations in relation to the development of regeneration in Scotland. A Briefing Note has now been prepared for members summarising the main sections of the Scottish Government's Regeneration Strategy an
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• 30/01/2013 - Tourism Development Plan for Scotland consultation
  VisitScotland have issued a draft Tourism Development Plan for Scotland and are seeking feedback by Friday, 1 March 2013. The full draft Plan can be found here.  The Plan will support the implementation of Tourism Scotland 2020: a strategy for leadership and growth which was developed by the (industry) Tourism Leadership Grou
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• 28/01/2013 - W&PR 04: Electricity wayleaves 2012
  In return for agreements permitting them to install and maintain electricity supply equipment on private land (wayleave agreements), Scotland's power companies make wayleave payments to the owners/occupiers of the affected land. Wayleave payments are made annually (usually in May) unless the landowner has previously capitalised
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• 17/01/2013 - Consultation response: SPP review
  Scottish Land & Estates has submitted comments as part of the Scottish Government’s review of Scottish Planning Policy. Main points include: Support for SPP to have statutory status Better alignment is required between the National Planning Framework and other key policy documents such as the Land Use Strategy Conc
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• 16/01/2013 - Briefing for Rural Affairs Climate Change and Environment Committee
  Briefing for Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee Biodiversity Debate 17th January 2013 To view the briefing please click on attachment below.
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• 09/01/2013 - Water 4: Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011
  The Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011 Act was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament on 9th March 2011 and received Royal Assent on 12th April 2011. Very few amendments were made to the Bill as it progressed through Parliament and therefore, once all sections of the Act are in force, Scotland will move from the capacity-base
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• 04/01/2013 - Water 02: Private Water Supplies Regulations and Grant Scheme 2006
  The Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations and associated grant scheme came into force on 3 July 2006. These measures were required to implement the Drinking Water Directive 98/83/EC. This Information Sheet is intended to give an overview of the regulations and grant scheme, and is not intended to be a definitive statemen
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