A new Scottish Government consultation is seeking views on how Scotland's largest landowners should engage with communities when preparing Land Management Plans. Lucy Laidlaw, a community engagement specialist with more than 20 years' experience in Scotland's rural sector, considers what the proposals mean for landowners and rural estates.
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on the community engagement obligations introduced by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, marking another step towards formalising how landowners involve communities in decisions about land management.
Published on 20 October 2026, the consultation seeks views on the regulations and guidance that will govern community engagement and the preparation of Land Management Plans for large landholdings.
The consultation closes on 26 January 2027.
For landowners, estate managers and rural businesses across Scotland, the proposals raise practical questions about who should be consulted, how engagement should take place and how community feedback should influence decisions about land.
At Lucy Laidlaw Communication, community engagement for Scottish estates, landowners and rural developments has been a core part of our work for many years.
What is the Scottish Government proposing?
Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, owners of large landholdings within the scope of the legislation will be required to prepare and publish Land Management Plans.
These plans must explain the landowner's long-term vision and objectives, how the land is managed and how communities and tenants have been involved in developing the plan.
Importantly, landowners will need to demonstrate how community engagement has influenced their Land Management Plan.
The Scottish Government is now consulting on how these requirements should work in practice, including:
Who should be included in the definition of a community, including geographic communities and communities of interest.
What constitutes meaningful community engagement and whether public meetings and workshops should be mandatory.
How landowners should engage with tenants, crofters and other local stakeholders.
How landowners should report back to communities and explain how feedback has informed decisions.
How Land Management Plans should be presented and published, including how they can refer to existing forestry, peatland and other management plans.
How engagement should take place when significant changes are proposed to a Land Management Plan.
The consultation also covers reasonable requests from community bodies to lease land or establish crofts, and the implementation and enforcement of the new obligations.
While the detailed regulations are still being developed and the new duties are not yet in force, landowners who may be affected should begin considering how they will approach community engagement.
Read the Scottish Government consultation on community engagement obligations
Land Management Plans: Putting community engagement into practice
For Scotland's rural estates, Land Management Plans will provide an opportunity to explain how land is managed and how future decisions may affect local communities.
This could include discussions about agriculture, forestry and woodland creation, renewable energy, housing, peat extraction, peatland restoration, biodiversity, tourism, public access and rural diversification.
The Scottish Government intends Land Management Plans to be accessible, high-level documents that promote understanding rather than detailed technical business plans.
Landowners will also be required to engage with communities and tenants when significant changes are made to their plans, with the consultation exploring how such changes should be defined.
For landowners, this reinforces the value of developing ongoing community relationships rather than only consulting when a particular proposal arises.
Effective community engagement is about more than holding a public meeting or publishing a survey.
It requires identifying the people who should be involved, providing accessible opportunities for participation, listening to feedback and explaining how views have been considered.
Not everyone will agree with every decision, particularly where land management involves competing commercial, environmental and community interests. But a well-managed consultation can help build understanding, identify opportunities and maintain constructive relationships.
Community engagement experience built at Buccleuch Estates
Lucy Laidlaw brings more than 20 years of communications and community engagement experience, including ten years at Buccleuch Estates, latterly as Head of Communications and Marketing and a member of the senior leadership team.
Working across one of Scotland's largest rural estate businesses provided extensive first-hand experience of the challenges facing landowners and the communities around them.
Lucy's work spanned agriculture, forestry, renewable energy, housing, rural and commercial property, tourism and wider estate management. Her experience includes leading community consultations at Wanlockhead and managing communications and stakeholder relationships around complex land management and development proposals.
Since establishing Lucy Laidlaw Communication in 2020, she has continued to specialise in community engagement, stakeholder consultation and communications for Scottish landowners, rural estates and businesses.
Lucy is also a Board member of Scottish Land & Estates and has contributed to the organisation's guidance on community engagement.
This combination of experience working within a major rural estate and delivering community consultation programmes gives Lucy a detailed understanding of both the landowner's perspective and the expectations of local communities.
Community engagement in action across Scotland
The questions being considered by the Scottish Government reflect the type of work Lucy Laidlaw Communication already delivers for landowners and rural organisations across Scotland.
Penicuik Estate: Community engagement to inform estate planning
At Penicuik Estate in Midlothian, Lucy developed a Community Engagement Plan informed by stakeholder mapping, surveys, consultation events and opportunities for residents to comment on a draft plan.
The resulting plan identified priorities including access, recreation, conservation, education and heritage, establishing a framework for ongoing engagement between the estate and its local community.
Read the Penicuik Estate community engagement case study
Mount Stuart Trust: Building community relationships on Bute
On the Isle of Bute, Lucy worked with Mount Stuart Trust to develop a five-year Community Engagement Plan through interviews, workshops, surveys and stakeholder engagement.
The project demonstrates how consultation can be tailored to the needs of an island community and support longer-term relationships between landowners and local people.
Read the Mount Stuart Trust community engagement case study
Crown Estate Scotland: Consultation to inform development
At Whitehill Estate in Midlothian, Lucy delivered a community engagement programme for Crown Estate Scotland to inform a Development Framework.
Through public exhibitions, surveys, face-to-face discussions, school engagement and digital communications, the consultation gathered feedback to help shape future plans for the estate.
Read the Crown Estate Scotland community engagement case study
Beam Suntory and Ardtalla Estate: Engagement on sensitive land use proposals
On Islay, Lucy led community engagement for Beam Suntory and Ardtalla Estate relating to proposed peat harvesting.
The programme involved public exhibitions, stakeholder consultation and opportunities for residents to raise questions about the proposals and their environmental implications.
The project demonstrates the value of experienced community engagement support when land use decisions involve complex issues and differing opinions.
Read the Beam Suntory and Ardtalla Estate community engagement case study
How should Scottish landowners prepare?
Although the final regulations are still to be confirmed, landowners can begin reviewing how they currently engage with communities.
For those preparing Land Management Plans, this might include identifying relevant stakeholders, reviewing existing community relationships, considering how future land management proposals will be communicated and establishing a process for recording and responding to feedback.
Existing estate management plans, forestry plans and environmental strategies may also provide useful information for future Land Management Plans, with the Scottish Government considering how to avoid unnecessary duplication.
The aim should be to establish a proportionate, practical approach that works for the landholding and its communities.
Looking for a community engagement consultant in Scotland?
Lucy Laidlaw Communication provides specialist community engagement consultancy, stakeholder engagement and public consultation services for landowners, rural estates and development projects throughout Scotland.
With extensive experience across forestry, renewable energy, housing, peat extraction, environmental projects and rural estate management, Lucy can support landowners with:
Community engagement strategies and Community Engagement Plans
Community consultation to inform Land Management Plans
Stakeholder mapping and consultation planning
Public exhibitions, workshops and community meetings
Community surveys, feedback analysis and consultation reporting
Engagement around rural development and land use proposals
Communications and reputation advice for landowners
The Scottish Government's latest consultation highlights the growing emphasis on meaningful engagement between landowners and communities.
For those preparing for the new requirements, Lucy Laidlaw Communication offers the benefit of more than two decades of experience in Scotland's rural sector, alongside practical experience of delivering community engagement programmes across the country.
Developing a Land Management Plan or community consultation?
Contact Lucy Laidlaw Communication to discuss community engagement support for your estate, landholding or rural development.
