The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Labour politician in bid to limit land ownership
ALabour MSP is to unveil plans to place a presumed limit on how much land “the super-rich” can own as she takes aim at Scotland’s largest landowners.
Mercedes Villalba wants to impose a 500-hectare limit on land a person can own, sell or transfer, above which a public interest test would be triggered.
The North East Scotland MSP will set out her plans at the Community Land Scotland conference today, ahead of a formal launch of her consultation on a proposed Land Ownership and Public Interest (Scotland) Bill. She said: “This land justice Bill is an opportunity for Scotland to end the hugely iniquitous and archaic land ownership arrangements that date back to medieval times.
“Humza Yousaf’s SNP and the Scottish Greens must work with Labour to deliver meaningful land justice, rather than join with the Tories to protect the privilege of the wealthy.”
Some 432 landowners owned half of Scotland’s privately-owned rural land, according to the latest figures set out in 2013.
Ms Villalba said: “The super-rich are hoarding land that should be run by community representatives and co-operatives for the benefit of everyone.
“Grouse shooting, landed privilege, and producing carbon credits for vast profits are being put ahead of environmental restoration, affordable housing and community wealth.
“It’s outrageous that one of the greatest symbols of inequality in Scotland has been unaddressed for so long.”
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on land reform, which would put in place a public interest test on sales of land over 3,000 hectares.
But Ms Villalba said: “Even after nearly a quarter of a century of devolution, the Scottish Government is making only timid promises about greater transparency over who owns what land.
“Scotland is now at a pivotal moment for how land justice can become a priority in our response to the climate crisis.”
She will be launching her Bill on Wednesday, and the consultation will run for 12 weeks before closing on September 12.
Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land and Estates, said the proposed limit would “affect many family-owned farms”.
She added: “Ms Villalba does not seem to grasp this, nor does she appear to be aware of the scale of land reform change which has already happened. Her ideas are somewhat leftfield – even within her own party.
“Landowners have embraced great changes in the last 20 years and have engaged constructively over proposals on land reform.
“It is very difficult to do so with these proposals which are riddled with so many inaccuracies and which would damage our ability to produce food and fuel, deliver for climate and biodiversity, as well as creating jobs, homes and business opportunities.”