The Scottish government's proposals could introduce new consultation duties for large farms and rural estates
Around 1,100 large Scottish landholdings could face mandatory management plans and new community consultation duties under land reform proposals unveiled by the Scottish government.
A consultation launched on Tuesday (20 October) sets out how owners of landholdings exceeding 1,000 hectares would be expected to explain their management decisions, engage with tenants and local communities, and consider requests to lease land.
The proposals could affect farmers and rural estates planning major land-use changes, including converting agricultural land to forestry, while raising questions over the cost and administrative burden of compliance.
The measures form part of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, which introduced new requirements aimed at improving transparency and giving communities a greater say in decisions affecting land.
Government research estimates approximately 1,100 landholdings could fall within the rules, although the eventual number of management plans may differ because owners could produce combined plans covering multiple holdings.
The definition of a large landholding also takes account of land owned by connected individuals, companies or trusts, including nearby parcels whose boundaries are within 250 metres of each other.
This means land held under separate ownership arrangements could still count towards the 1,000-hectare threshold.
Under the legislation, affected landowners would be required to prepare publicly available plans setting out their long-term objectives, ownership arrangements and how their land contributes to environmental and community priorities.
Plans must be reviewed at least every five years, with further engagement required when significant changes are proposed.
The government's draft guidance identifies converting agricultural land to forestry, major changes to public access and developments affecting local communities as examples of changes that could trigger additional consultation.
Tenant farmers would also have a formal role in developing the plans, with landowners required to engage with agricultural tenants, crofters and small landholders.
However, the consultation makes clear that tenants would not be legally required to provide detailed information about their farming operations to landlords.
Where owners lack control over tenanted land, they would not be expected to disclose information about its management that they do not hold, although voluntary information sharing would be encouraged.
The proposals also introduce a requirement for large landowners to consider reasonable requests from eligible community bodies seeking to lease land or buildings, or establish crofts.
Such requests would have to be considered, but would not automatically have to be approved.
The consultation raises further questions about the potential administrative burden, including whether landowners should be required to hold public meetings or workshops and provide detailed ownership maps.
Ministers are also considering whether an administrative fee should apply when land management plans are submitted to a proposed public website.
Landowners could receive a grace period of between six and 24 months before enforcement begins, with views also sought on whether implementation should be phased.
During the passage of the legislation in 2025, NFU Scotland raised concerns about the 1,000-hectare threshold, warning against excessive bureaucracy and calling for safeguards around commercially sensitive farming information.
Scottish Land & Estates also previously warned that overly complex management plan requirements could impose additional costs on rural businesses.
The Scottish government says the new framework should avoid unnecessary duplication, including by allowing existing forestry, deer management and environmental plans to contribute towards meeting the requirements.
Under the government's indicative timetable, community engagement regulations could come into force in spring 2029, subject to parliamentary approval, followed by a grace period before enforcement begins.
Separate measures requiring advance notification of certain land sales and allowing ministers to consider dividing large holdings into smaller lots are provisionally scheduled for autumn 2030.
Those land-sale provisions are not included in the latest consultation and will be considered separately.
The Scottish government says the reforms are intended to improve transparency and strengthen relationships between landowners and the communities affected by land management decisions.
Farmers, landowners, tenant businesses and rural organisations have until 26 January 2027 to respond to the consultation, with their views helping shape how the new obligations will operate in practice.