Major estates to be run nationally ‘gives certainty’

Tenant farmers on the 30,000 hectares of farmland overseen by Crown Estates Scotland have been encouraged by indications that the four major estates will continue to be run by a national body, according to farming organisations.

Following the publication of the Crown Estates Bill last week, both NFU Scotland and the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association welcomed such an approach for “giving some certainty” to farming tenants who had feared that the estates might be split up and be put under the management of several different local authorities.

Much of the bill was aimed at giving greater community control over land, property and other assets managed by Crown Estate Scotland, valued at £275.7 million. However, the bulk of the 225 farmers on tenancies on the four major estates – Glenlivet and Fochabers estates in Moray, Applegirth Estate in Dumfries & Galloway and Whitehill Estate in Midlothian – wanted a more cohesive approach.

STFA director Angus Mccall said: “The tenants on the four rural estates were firmly of the view that it would be more appropriate for the rural estates to be managed directly by the Scottish Government, or a body set up for the purpose, rather than becoming devolved in the future to local authorities who have neither the skills nor the experience in managing agricultural estates.

“They will be relieved that their concerns have been taken on board in the new bill and ministers have signalled their intention to continue to manage the rural estates themselves.”

Gemma Cooper, NFUS legal policy manager, said it was good news that the management of assets was likely to be judged on a case-by-case basis – and that core of the rural estate looked likely be retained as a whole. She added that the fact any transfer would have to be justified and underwritten with a sound business reason would also reassure tenant farmers.

The two organisations said that, as a major agricultural landlord, the Scottish Government would now have the opportunity to take the lead in making use of the provisions they had put into the recent land reform bill.

Mccall said ministers should act to “stimulate investment by both landlord and tenant, encourage the smooth transition of farms from one generation to the next, ensure fair rents for all and create opportunities… for the next generation”.

He added: “Tenants on all the estates would like to continue to be consulted in the management of the estates, particularly in any decisions involving any change of land use such as sale of land or conversion to forestry.”