Scottish landowners face massive £40k fines for 'management plan' breaches in 'attack on rural life'

Scottish landowners could face fines of up to £40,000 for breaching measures relating to how they manage their land under Scotland’s new Land Reform Bill.

The paper, which aims to improve transparency in landownership, includes a requirement for landowners to produce Land Management Plans (LMP) with an emphasis on promoting engagement within communities.

Under current plans, if landowners breach such arrangements, fines up to £5,000 could be issued.

However, an amendment has been put forward by Glasgow SNP MSP Bob Doris to increase this sum eight times over after the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee said the current fine would not be sufficient.

Land around Loch Laxford seen through the hills. Picture: PA

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the £40,000 figure will only apply to the maximum fine that could be levied under the new Bill, which is at stage two.

Ms Gougeon said: “Decisions on fines would be for the new Land and Communities Commissioner to consider in the event of a breach, and the maximum fine would not be levied automatically. I have always been clear that the intention is for the new commissioner to work with landowners and communities in the first instance, and the Bill makes provision for an appeals route as well.

“The Land Reform Bill sets out ambitious proposals that will change how land is managed in our rural and island communities for the better. Our Bill takes steps to better ensure that landholdings in scope are transferred and used in ways that support communities and take account of local need and I look forward to working with parliament as the legislation progresses.”

Scottish Conservative Tim Eagle MSP said the new sum was “wildly disproportionate”.

He said only Scottish Tory MSPs on the committee voted against the “punitive” plans. The MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, home to a large number of estates likely impacted by the measures, said: “This amendment put forward by a Glasgow-based SNP MSP is wildly disproportionate.

“These fines if they are passed in the final version of the SNP’s Land Reform Bill will now hit land managers with £40,000 for merely failing to produce a plan.

“That is eight times the level of the current level of fines and will set alarm bells ringing among our rural communities.

“It was only the Scottish Conservatives on the committee who voted against these punitive measures.

“The fines are greater than people would get for a breach of the peace or for behaving in a drunk and disorderly manner.

“The SNP’s version of the Land Reform Bill as it stands is an attack on the rural way of life and is backed by Holyrood’s cosy left-wing consensus, some of whom want to go even further.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives are standing up for rural communities, defending our land managers and ensuring that this land reform bill does not cause irreparable damage to rural Scotland in years to come.”