About the Community Land Advisory Service in Scotland

We help community organisations and landowners to secure land for growing and nature-based activities, enabling people across Scotland to benefit.

Our information and advice service makes good use of Scotland's policy opportunities, and supports you with the experience and knowledge of our members and partners.  

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015

All communities in Scotland, both urban and rural, have potential opportunities to secure the use of land that is currently publicly or privately owned. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 can help empower your community through the ownership of land and buildings. It can strengthen your voice in the decisions and services that matter to you.

The Act extends the community right to buy, makes it simpler for communities to take over public sector land and buildings and strengthens the statutory base for community planning.

Crucially, the Act will also improve outcomes for communities by improving the process of community planning. It ensures that local service providers work together even more closely with communities to meet the needs of the people who use them.  

We can help with the land aspects of the Act. Our key means of support to landowners and communities is The Guide for Landowners: for owners and users of land for community benefit. 

The Guide for Landowners 2018

If you're looking to secure land for community run nature-based and growing activities, the Guide provides comprehensive information and advice. Landowners, project groups and support organisations can all benefit from using the Guide. It empowers communities to find and secure land to expand and strengthen their capacity to provide local activities and services. The Guide also gives landowners supporting community projects the guidance and tools to consider legal responsibilities and to secure rights. The Guide gives both parties the confidence to enter and successfully complete the process of negotiation, meeting all needs and obligations.  

Evidence shows community groups can struggle to find land to develop local greenspace activity. Meanwhile, many landowners are keen to support such projects, but lack the knowledge of how to go about it. The Guide was written by the Community Land Advisory Service in conjunction with the Community Growing Forum Scotland (previously the Grow Your Own Working Group), Scottish Land & Estates and The Scottish Government. It was originally created in 2013 and was comprehensively updated in 2018.  A version of the Guide, along with template leases below, are available to download for free. Browse the sections below for further information on the Guide and other links, tools and ideas.

Download The Guide for Landowners

Contact us

If you need further support, please contact us at [email protected]