Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025

A new chapter in creating a fairer, more transparent land system

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act, passed in 2025, represents a significant milestone in Scotland’s ongoing journey to ensure land delivers greater public benefit. 

It follows decades of reform and is rooted in new powers that make land ownership more fair, accountable, and transparent.

This Act draws heavily on our evidence and recommendations which has led the way in understanding concentrated land ownership and advising on solutions that balance public interest and property rights.

Why it matters

This new legislation introduces new measures that apply to large landholdings and it makes changes to agricultural holdings legislation. It also introduces changes in the functions of the Tenant Farming Commissioner, Land Commissioners and introduces a new Land and Communities Commissioner.

What’s in the Act?

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 introduces new powers, requirements, and rights designed to make Scotland’s land system fairer, more transparent, and more accountable to the public interest. 

Key measures

Part one

  • Strengthen community engagement obligations via new Land Management Plans for large estates and introducing a Land and Communities Commissioner with powers to support communities.
  • Regulate the land market through a transfer test on significant landholdings and a new mechanism to notify Ministers when large estates are being sold.

Part two

  • Extends the functions of the Tenant Farming Commissioner to enhance and modernise small landholdings framework.
  • Places duty on ministers to publish a model lease to allow landlord and tenant a higher degree of freedom to negotiate and agree to the contents of a lease e.g. for environmental purposes.

Agricultural Holdings:

  • Changes to provisions on Tenant’s Right to Buy, including notification procedure, registration procedure and challenge of applications.
  • Minor changes and clarifications to Assignation and Succession provisions e.g. timescales for objecting.
  • Changes are made to the process of resumption and new compensation claims are introduced.
  • Changes to both 1991 and 2003 Act tenancies extends the tenant’s ability to diversify, where this is likely to contribute to sustainability.
  • Modifications to the unimplemented rent review procedure introduced by 2016 Act.

“This Act is a major step forward for fairer, more transparent land ownership in Scotland. But it’s not the end. We’ll now work with government to ensure the new powers are put into practice and continue shaping the next phase of reform.”

Michael Russell
Michael Russell
Chair
Find out more about Michael

Our role

The Scottish Land Commission advised throughout the development of the Act, providing evidence, policy analysis, and practical insight.

We’ll continue to support implementation by:

  • Providing guidance to landowners and communities
  • Developing good practice resources
  • Providing advice to Scottish Government
  • Gathering feedback from across the land sector to ensure the Act delivers on its aims
  • Developing our operational approach to the new functions of the Land and Communities Commissioner.
  • The implementation timetable is the responsibility of Scottish Government and we will update this page as more information about implementation is known. 
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