Transparency of Ownership and Land Use Decision-Making

The second Land Rights and Responsibilities Protocol, ‘Transparency of Ownership and Land Use Decision-Making,’ sets out the information that should be provided by land owners and managers to help improve the transparency and understanding of who owns land in Scotland and what it is used for.  

Information about land and buildings provides the foundation for open and transparent decision-making and can enable participation. Improved information about who controls land in Scotland will help to empower people, including community groups, and give them the opportunity to understand who is in control of land.

In the next few years, land owners and managers will have to contribute to both the Land Register and a new Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land. This Protocol is designed to encourage positive behaviour by all interested parties and sets out the reasonable expectations of the information to be provided.

We have created a template to support land owners and managers in providing information about the ownership and use of land detailing who owns the land, their plans for it, and how communities can get in touch with them. 

We have developed a guide to help communities know where to look to find information about land and the organisations that can provide support. We have also developed a guide for land owners and managers to help them identify their communities and the organisations that support them. These guides are designed to enable greater transparency and engagement.

Watch our webinar on Community Engagment and Transparency of Ownership and Land Use Decision-Making