Have your say on the Scottish Government's Land Use Strategy
The development of Scotland's first Land Use Strategy offers a landmark opportunity for you to have your say on the way Scotland's land is used for generations to come. How can Scotland produce enough food, develop its renewable energy capacity and protect its iconic landscapes and habitats?
Why a Land Use Strategy?
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires a land use strategy to be laid by Scottish Ministers before the Scottish Parliament by 31 March 2011.
The strategy must set out the Government's objectives in relation to sustainable land use, as well as proposals, policies and their associated timescales for meeting those. The objectives, proposals and policies must contribute to obligations under the Act on emissions reduction targets, to climate change adaptation objectives and to sustainable development.
Section 57 of the Act contains the precise requirements for the strategy.
What is the Scottish Government doing?
Scottish Ministers are very keen to grasp the opportunity for the strategy to address current and future challenges, and work is well underway. A dedicated team has been established within the Scottish Government to work on the strategy's inception and to involve interested stakeholders in the process as fully and as early as possible. An integral part of this is the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) - a scoping report was published (March 2010) and comments received on this are now being reviewed. A short study has also been conducted on land use strategies outside Scotland.
The Scottish Government held discussion workshops around the country in March. and a summary report will be published shortly. Approaches are also welcome from interested parties via the contact details below. There is also a statutory obligation to consult publicly on the draft strategy, and this will proceed in the autumn. This will be publicised widely in advance.
Is the Land Use Strategy a completely new undertaking?
Yes, such a strategy is unprecedented for Scotland. The Scottish Government's plans were branded "ambitious and exciting" at a recent conference in Germany, and Scottish Ministers are committed to the strategy and fully aware of its importance.
The strategy will benefit from the Rural Land Use Study commissioned by the Scottish Government and recently completed. The Study's published findings were discussed at a Land Use Summit in Inverness on November 9, 2009, and will form a key component of the thinking going into the land use strategy. A summit report has also been published. However, all land - both urban and rural - falls within the scope of the strategy. It is therefore crucial that the strategy relates successfully to other obligations, including the long-term spatial development strategy set out in the second National Planning Framework.
How do I get involved?
You can submit your views on our forum page. Alternatively, if you do not wish your views to be posted on line, please submit comments by email to landusestrategy@scotland.gsi.gov.uk, or by mail to the address below.
Land Use Strategy Branch
The Scottish Government
1D North
Victoria Quay
Leith
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ
Details of the full public consultation will also appear on this page in due course.
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