There just a few days left for the public to comment on a consultation on the future of land reform in Scotland.

The reform outlines a number of proposals to establish a Land Reform Commission, to seek opinions on how the Common Good should be managed, used and transferred. It would also improve transparency and accountability of land ownership, plus remove business rate exemptions for shooting and deerstalking estates.

Land Reform Minister Aileen McLeod visited a site in Glasgow, the Cuningar Loop, and witnessed how a partnership in the public sector is transforming neglected land into a community asset.

Minister McLeod said: "Cuningar loop in Glasgow is a great example of how public agencies have taken a piece of derelict land and are transforming it into a fantastic area of greenspace with many benefits for local people.


"Land is one of our most valuable assets, land and landowners across Scotland already make significant contributions to our economy and deliver a wide range of benefits to our communities."

She continued: "Our vision for land reform is a strong relationship between the people of Scotland and the land of Scotland, where ownership and use of the land delivers greater public benefits.

"We are committed to a system of land rights that promotes fairness and social justice, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. The future of land in Scotland is not just relevant for rural communities, urban communities also want to see a change in how Scotland's land is managed.

"With less than a week to go in the consultation period, I would urge all those with an interest in how land in Scotland works for the people of Scotland to response to the consultation by 10th February."

The consultation document can be found here.

(JP/IT)