THE Scottish Government yesterday reported public backing for most of its proposals for land reform, which have received more than 70 per cent support from respondents in a formal consultation process.

Not surprisingly, there was a big difference of opinion between private landowners’ organisations and those groups and individuals campaigning for land reform.

After publishing the analysis of the consultation, which involved 1,269 groups, organisations and individuals, the minister for land reform Dr Aileen McLeod claimed a victory for the proposals.

These include the establishment of a Land Reform Commission, the establishment of land rights and responsibilities, improved information on land ownership and the removal of the exemption from business rates for hunting and deerstalking.

McLeod said: “The consultation on land reform received a huge number of responses showing the high level of public interest and support for improving how Scotland’s land works for the people of Scotland. The analysis shows most proposals received over 70 per cent support with respondents giving a wide range of helpful detail on their reasoning for support or opposition.”

However, there was plenty of opposition to some of the proposals.The analysis document itself stated: “The vast majority of proposals were supported by respondents to the consultation but with a range of caveats and clarifications.

“Some respondent groupings including private landowning organisations and private sector and professional bodies expressed negative views to several of the proposals.”

Some 75 per cent of respondents agreed with the proposal to set up a Land Reform Commission.

Development Trusts Association Scotland commented in its response: “It would ensure that land reform is not subject to the whims of political parties, but instead becomes an on-going, comprehensive and enduring concern that is firmly located at the heart of the work of policy development in the Scottish Government.”

However, 68 per cent of the 54 private landowner organisations which responded to the consultation disagreed.

Moray Estates Development Company Ltd stated: “The vision proposed implies a current failure though this failure is not set out or demonstrated.

“The principles are clearly directed at changing land ownership patterns but we are not aware of, nor is any presented, any evidence that such a change would, in itself, deliver benefits to the people of Scotland.”

The James Hutton Institute said a new Commission “may be unnecessary given the role, remit and activities of those already in existence, including the Land Court, Scottish Land Fund and the Registers for Scotland, as well as the Land Reform Unit of the Scottish Government.” Costs were a concern to respondents but Community Land Scotland stated: “It is readily justifiable to incur costs to bring about necessary change toward greater fairness and social justice.”

The analysis showed that 87 per cent of respondents agreed with the proposal to introduce a land rights and responsibilities policy with one organisation saying that all land, even in urban areas, should be involved.

Community Central Hall said: “Given that the overwhelming majority of Scottish people live in towns and cities there is very strong imperative to ensure that Land Reform Bill addresses land development in urban areas and the provision of better designed, more affordable housing.”

Some 88 per cent of respondents agreed with the proposal to improve information on land, its value and its ownership, with the promotion of the register of Common Good land particularly welcomed.

One respondent said: “There should be a massive publicity campaign to tell people exactly what common good and common land exists in their local areas, and taught in schools too. Every citizen should know the situation in their community and it should be guarded as precious knowledge” The analysis showed that 71 per cent of respondents agreed with the proposal to remove the exemption from business rates for shooting and deerstalking. The document noted, however, that “all but one of the 51 private landowner organisations who addressed this issue disagreed with ending the business-rate exemptions.”

The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association said: “We question the motives of including the subject of further deer management regulation in this consultation on land reform as this is currently a work in progress moving towards governmental review, with a timetable for conclusion in late 2016.”

Dr Aileen McLeod said: “Land is one of our most valuable assets and our vision for land reform is for a stronger relationship between the people of Scotland and the land of Scotland, where ownership and use of the land delivers greater public benefits.

The Scottish Government is committed to meaningful land reform.”