Scottish Land Commission

16/10/2026

🔔 There's still time to have your say on our draft Gaelic Language Plan.

The draft is available on our website, along with a short survey where you can share your views.

Are we making the right commitments? Could we do more to strengthen the connections between Gaelic language and land in Scotland?

We'd welcome your feedback.

📅 The survey closes on Monday 26 October.

https://buff.ly/hzx5j7M

14/10/2026

How public land is managed can make a real difference to communities across Scotland.

Decisions about public land can influence everything from:

🏥 Access to local services
🏗️ Regeneration of places
🏘️ Delivery of new housing
💵 Local jobs and economic opportunities
💚 Community wellbeing

For public bodies that own or manage land, these decisions are an opportunity to deliver wider benefits for the people and places they serve.

Through our Good Practice Programme, we provide practical guidance to help public bodies manage land responsibly, engage communities in decisions and make the most of the opportunities land presents.

Looking for guidance on good practice in public land management?

Explore our resources, including practical advice and guidance to support transparent, inclusive decision-making that delivers lasting public value.

https://buff.ly/qDhjEQu

12/10/2026

Good communication starts before there's a problem.

Strong landlord–tenant relationships are built through regular, open communication, not just conversations when something needs resolving.

A few simple things can make a difference:

💬 Talk early. If something is likely to affect the other party, don't wait until a decision has already been made or a deadline is looming.

👂 Listen for the issue behind the issue. What sounds like a disagreement about one thing may actually be about its practical impact or something that hasn't been understood.

📞 Choose the right way to communicate. Sometimes a ten-minute phone call can achieve more than days of emails going back and forth.

Our next Tenant Farming Commissioner newsletter takes a closer look at the importance of good communication, including a case study of a landlord and tenants who are putting it into practice.

Subscribe to receive the next issue: https://buff.ly/Mw13ZZd

08/10/2026

Last week we published our new Strategic Plan for 2026–29: People, Place and Opportunity.

It sets out what we want to achieve over the next three years and where we'll focus our work to help make that happen.

Our three outcomes are focused on:

🔹 creating new land opportunities
🔹 rebalancing the power of land ownership
🔹 helping communities shape and benefit from significant land use change

To get there, we'll focus on four priorities: supporting effective delivery of the Land Reform Act, opening up new land opportunities, improving land data, and strengthening transparency, engagement and participation.

06/10/2026

Have your say on our Gaelic Language Plan

Our consultation on the second edition of our Gaelic Language Plan is open, and we’d like to hear what you think.

We’re asking you to read the draft plan and tell us: have we got the balance right? Are there areas we could strengthen or improve?

Your feedback will help us make sure the final plan is ambitious, practical and reflects how we can support and promote Gaelic through our work.

The consultation is open until Monday 26 October.

🔗 Read the draft plan and share your views https://buff.ly/Ty4qqmK

05/10/2026

Vacant and derelict land remains a long-term challenge for communities across Scotland.

This piece from The Ferret looks at the continuing impact of vacant and derelict land and draws on our work on how more of it can be brought back into productive use.

More recently, our work with Ryden has looked at the role that land and property taxation could play in supporting the reuse of long-term derelict land. Published in July, the research explored the tax barriers and potential incentives associated with bringing these sites back into use.

The article also includes a commitment from Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad that The Scottish Government will continue to work with us and others to consider how land and property taxation can support the productive use of land.

🔗 Read the article: https://www.theferret.scot/scotland-abandoned-buildings/
🔗 Read our research on tax and the reuse of Scotland’s long-term derelict land:https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/Tax-and-the-reuse-of-long-term-derelict-land-3.pdf

Derelict buildings across Scotland are creating a plethora of problems. Local communities are bearing the brunt.

02/10/2026

📊 Good decisions about land and climate need good evidence behind them.

Across the week, we’ve heard how land connects climate action with farming, communities, nature, skills and evidence.

Rounding off our Climate Week series, Research Officer Julie looks at why research and data are an important part of helping us understand what is changing, what works and where action can make a difference.

01/10/2026

Scotland’s changing land use brings opportunities for people as well as nature.

Today, Uwe Stoneman, our Good Practice Advisor, talks about the skills and jobs needed as we respond to climate change and the opportunity to support biodiversity, communities and local economies along the way.

30/09/2026

Tackling climate change isn’t just about how land is used – it’s also about involving people in the decisions that shape it.

Our Land Rights and Responsibilities Manager Gemma Campbell looks at the role communities can play in climate action, and why meaningful engagement around land and land use matters.

29/09/2026

🌱 How we farm and manage land has an important part to play in responding to climate change.

For Scotland's Climate Week, Tenant Farming Commissioner Rob Black looks at what climate change means for farming, and why collaboration between landlords and tenants is important in adapting to change and making improvements on the ground.