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Highland SNP activists push for radical land ownership cap

Land reform will be discussed at SNP conference in Aberdeen. Image: George Clark
Land reform will be discussed at SNP conference in Aberdeen. Image: George Clark

SNP grassroots members from the north want Nicola Sturgeon to go further on land reform at the party’s conference in Aberdeen.

Activists are pushing for the introduction of “legally-binding limits” on the total amount of land individuals or companies can own.

The resolution, which has been put forward by three SNP branches, including Cromarty Firth also calls for an end to “secret land deals”.

The move prompted north-east Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba to call on SNP ministers to “match the ambition” of their grassroots members.

Ms Villalba is pushing in Holyrood for a new law – called the Land Justice Bill – which would set a legal limit on how much land anyone is allowed to hold, but the SNP have not offered support.

‘Timid proposals’

Ms Villalba said: “There’s clearly genuine support among SNP members for a change in the law to end the appalling inequality in land ownership that we have in Scotland.

“So far, the Scottish Government has only put forward timid proposals that would leave the bulk of land in the hands of a tiny number of extremely wealthy individuals.

“Ministers must now listen to their own supporters in SNP branches, who in this conference motion are supporting a specific cap on how much land wealthy individuals can own.”

Mercedes Villalba wants a land ownership cap introduced.

What are the SNP land reform plans?

The SNP government is consulting on plans for a land reform bill – to be introduced by the end of 2023.

The legislation plans to address long-standing concerns about the highly concentrated pattern of landownership in rural areas of Scotland.

Scotland’s land reform minister Màiri McAllan said the “radical legislation” to tackle so-called “green lairds” is needed to stop a new Highland Clearances. 

Some of the measures being proposed in the bill include introducing a public interest test for transfers of large landholdings, and making sure owners give community bodies notice if they intend to sell.

But critics say the proposals are “vague” and do not go far enough.

The SNP was approached for comment.