Land reform

Lesley Riddoch’s bleak assessment of land reform – “Time for the Scottish Government to act on Land Reform ”( Scotsman ,7 September )– fails to recognise the many positive outcomes that have been achieved in recent years.

The reality is that many community land buy outs have been achieved through dialogue and collaboration with landowners – willing sellers and willing buyers. The result is there are multiple land ownership models now in Scotland including public, private and community. They exist and often thrive side by side.

Ms Riddoch likes to cast the Lang holm Initiative’ s proposed buyout in the most pessimistic terms whereas the community group and the landowner valued the land jointly and remain in discussions with the land owner regarding possible mutually satisfactory outcomes.

There is an issue about funding available to the Scottish Land Fund which the Scottish Government will need to decide. However, the land fund granted numerous funding requests in their latest round of awards which many community groups have celebrated.

Since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, there have been two major pieces of land reform legislation, the most recent still being enacted in parts. The suggestion that the Scottish Government “needs to act” seems out of touch. It is a pity that Ms Riddoch cannot see beyond her hostility towards landown-ers and reflect the fact that the narrative of small communities versus large landowners has moved on and will continue to do so.

SARAH JANE LAING Scottish Land & Estates chief executive, Eskmills Business

Park, Musselburgh