Scotland’s largest landowner, Buccleuch Estates, is to offer 24 tenants on secure tenancies the opportunity to buy their farms.
Buccleuch CEO, John Glen, has said the Estate has initiated discussions with 11 tenants who have officially registered an interest in buying their farms, or indicated an interest to do so, on the Eskdale and Liddesdale Estate.
The surprise news has come in the wake of intense local controversy surrounding the management of tenanted farms in the Langholm area, particularly over plans to replace tenants with trees.
Letters were sent last week to the remaining 13 tenants on secure tenancies offering the opportunity to meet with the Estate Manager so that we may understand future aspirations.
Mr Glen said: “Buccleuch keeps its in-hand and tenant farming operations constantly under review. Since 2000, Buccleuch has sold 22 farms to tenants across the South of Scotland.
"Such sales enable the tenants to make positive choices for their future, and the estate to reinvest the capital released into new projects, such as Glenmuckloch pump storage hydro and Dalkeith Country Park, strengthening the rural economy."
'Tremendous opportunity'
Responding to the news, Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA) Chairman Christopher Nicholson said the news represents a "tremendous opportunity" for tenants.
“Most tenants on secure tenancies will have invested heavily in their farms over the generations and this investment must be reflected in the purchase price of the farms which should be subject of a tenanted discount," Mr Nicholson explained.
“If Buccleuch are serious in their intentions to sell, we would expect independent and transparent valuations and a willingness to negotiate a realistic purchase price.
“Increasing the diversity of landownership in Scotland has been a longstanding ambition of the Scottish Government and selling farms to sitting secure tenants is a step in the right direction.
"STFA would welcome similar proposals in other parts of Scotland where initiative and investment is still being stifled by a monopoly of landownership."
