'Very concerning' spate of misleading land sales in Scottish Highlands - including near Loch Ness

A warning has been issued about an increase in unauthorised land sales in the Highlands.

Highland Council said plots of land in the region were being advertised with misleading claims about their potential for development.

The local authority said in several locations, land had been divided into dozens of small plots and resold, sometimes multiple times.

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The council said many of the sites were in environmentally-sensitive areas, lack access and had no infrastructure, yet they were being marketed, sometimes for as little as £7,000, to buyers who may not be aware of planning rules.

Council said there is a rise in plots of land to the south and west of Loch Ness and some near Inverness being marketed in misleading sales | Katharine Hay

Officials said, in some cases, new owners who realise the land cannot be developed have further subdivided and resold it, “continuing the cycle”.

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Areas in question include plots to the south and west of Loch Ness, including around the Achnabobane, Inchbae, Garve, Roy Bridge, and Spean Bridge areas, and around Daviot, near Inverness.

Officials warned anyone wishing to purchase land in these areas should be “cautious of deals that seem too good to be true”.

Highland councillor Ken Gowans said: “The Highland Council are very concerned about the continued marketing of small plots of land that are clearly unsuitable for development. We strongly urge anyone considering buying any land to seek professional planning advice before making a purchase, although this is particularly the case with such plots.

“These often raise serious planning concerns, including environmental damage, unsafe road access and pollution risks. Planning permission is highly unlikely to be granted for development where that is the case.”

Some of the misleading sales are happening near Loch Ness | Katharine Hay

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Recently, Highland Council, with support from Police Scotland and NatureScot, issued an enforcement notice and stop notice on land designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

SSSI status is given to areas of land for their nationally important wildlife, habitats, geology, or landforms.

Officials said action was taken after the landowner, following several requests, refused to stop using the land for overnight accommodation, including camping pods, to restore the land where it had been reprofiled for tracks, among other purposes, to its previous condition and to clear building materials, rubble and debris.

Highland Council said the report was “not an isolated case”. The authority said it was working with local communities, Police Scotland, Nature Scot, Sepa and other partners to address the ongoing issue.

The warning comes after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) warned of a similar problem escalating within its boundary last month.

LLTNPA said in the Balquhidder area alone, in Perthshire, land previously under single ownership has now been subdivided into about 45 plots.

These are priced from about £7,000 and, according to officials, draw in buyers from across the UK and overseas, who appear unaware of the significant planning constraints within the national park.

Stuart Mearns, of LLTNPA, said the increasing trend was “concerning and frustrating” and urged buyers to be vigilant when looking to purchase land in the area.