Landdemand

Brian Wilson salivates over the idea that lots of fellow Scots would, perchance, be able to own a slice of land (Scotsman, 20 January). For what? What is it that would be done with the land that is any different to what the current landowners already do?

Us ramblers have a ‘right to roam’ already and go wherever we want, whenever we want, to all intents and purposes. A change of ownership is not going to improve that roaming experience. Far from it: the only reasons that more Scots owning land would have would be ‘development’, which means building. What would you build? Where? Why? Holiday homes in inaccessible places? They are too expensive to build and maintain and there really is no demand.

You need large acreages to make any use of carbon storage, forestry, windfarms and solar farms. And let’s face it, those landowners that have held land through the centuries that are now putting these environmental and sustainable renewable energy projects on it, have held land that has been, until the 1990s, worth very little indeed – there was nothing you could do with the land but grow a few trees, fatten a few sheep or listen to the noises of young Brian Wilson grouse!

As they are, the vast acreages of Scotland offer the beauty and tranquility to anyone. And if you want it badly enough, there is always a market price. Land does not have to be ‘on the market’ to make an offer. Even the wealthiest Scottish landowners owning land won by their fellow clansmen in brutal tribal conflict will sell out if the price is right!

Time for Brian Wilson to understand capitalism and that everything is available for sale to everyone by those who have it… at the right price. Have a look at the way Sir James Dyson has procured vast acreages for economies of scale in his farming – he simply offered his neighbours prices for their land that the neighbours were prepared to sell at. In Scotland, Brian Wilson really needs to think through why on Earth anyone would want it.

Francis RC Salvesen Haddington, East Lothian