The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 5 November 2025. The Bill builds on earlier Land Reform Acts and is described by the Scottish Government as “an important step” in Scotland’s land reform “journey”.
What you need to know
The main thrust of the Bill is to put owners of large-scale landholdings under enhanced community engagement and transparency obligations, with their ability to transact with such land restricted. The Bill also introduces significant amendments to the Agricultural Holdings legislation.
Current position
The Bill began its life as a complex piece of draft legislation and its 20-month parliamentary process has not resulted in any simplification. There are significant concerns around the practicability of several of its provisions and it is thought likely that there will be an extended period of time before any of the provisions of practical import come into force. If experience of previous Land Reform legislation is any indicator, it is possible that parts of the Bill may never come into effect. Numerous parts of the Bill require significant secondary legislation to provide the detail and therefore, again, implementation may well be delayed.
Our Practical Summaries
To help you plan ahead, we have prepared detailed and practical summaries of the main provisions and impacts of both Part 1 & Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill for landowners and interested parties to be aware of.
Part 1 – Large Landholdings
- Community Engagement Obligations
- Land & Communities Commissioner
- Large Landholdings – Restrictions on Transfer
- Future Review and the Land Commission
- Key Takeaways – Part 1 Large Landholdings
View Land Reform (Scotland) Bill – Part 1 Large Landholdings Summary
Part 2 – Leasing Land
- Model Leases
- Small Landholdings
- Agricultural Holdings
- Tenant Farming Commissioner
- Key Takeaways – Part 2 Leasing Land
View Land Reform (Scotland) Bill – Part 2 Leasing Land Summary
You can view the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill in full at the link here.
If you would like to discuss how these changes might affect your land or operations, please get in touch with a member of our Land & Rural Business team.
