Vicky Allan , Senior features writer
THE map of land ownership in Scotland is changing. Soon the biggest
landowner in Scotland is likely to be a Dane who only started buying up
land in Scotland a decade ago. Last month it was reported that clothing
magnate Anders Povslen was within 7,000 acres of this “game-changing” feat,
and now owned around 1% of Scotland. Meanwhile, in recent times, other
landowners, whose estates have been in their families for generations,
prompted by Scottish land reform, are talking about selling off land and
downsizing.
This is no longer a country owned mainly by the aristocracy. The RSPB and
the National Trust are among our biggest landowners, as is other new money.
Many of the estates still ostensibly owned by aristocrats are actually
owned and run by charitable trusts. Meanwhile, as land reform progresses,
more and more communities are attempting to buy out the land they live
within. Yet still the picture remains on some level unchanged. When we look
at land-owning in Scotland we mostly see men. These are the people that
continue to shape the way Scotland’s land is used.
Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry
224,972 across four estates
Since the Duke of the Buccleuch is the biggest landowner in Scotland it’s
perhaps not surprising that he, or his estates, appear in the news
frequently, whether that be because of dogwalkers complaining over charges
for access at Dalkeith Country Park, revelations that the duke operates a
business in a tax haven, or news that a community trust at the former
mining village of Wanlockhead is attempting a buy-out of some of his land.
The duke, Richard Scott, who inherited the title on the death of his father
in 2007, owns four major estates: Queensberry, including Drumlanrig Castle,
Langholm in Dumfriesshire, Bowhill in Selkirkshire, and some land around
Dalkeith palace too. Except he doesn’t quite own them. Rather, it is owned
by Buccleuch Estates, which is in turn owned by Anderson Strathern Nominees.
Earlier this year, land reform campaigner, Andy Wightman, uncovered that
these companies were making transactions with the shadowy Pentland Ltd, of
which Richard Scott is director, based in the Cayman Islands. Buccleuch was
using an offshore tax haven to buy and sell land.
Meanwhile, if you want to gain an insight into the kind of strained and
troubled relations that can develop between local community and estate, you
only have to look as far as Wanlockhead, where the locals, some of whom are
involved in an attempt at a community trust buy out, observe that the
estate has done little for the village in a century, and complain of the
fact that they only found out about Buccleuch’s plan to put one of the
largest windfarms in Scotland on their doorstep through this paper.
Last year, in reaction to SNP land reform proposals, the Duke of Buccleuch
declared his “absolute dismay”.
“I think I would be surprised,” he said, “if in 10 years’ time, we are not
noticeably smaller. We are more stimulated and stirred up than ever to look
after what we do have as well as we can. I and the management team are
determined to carry on rethinking the use of the land, of farms and
forestry, to ensure that it delivers the best for the local community.”
Nevertheless, Buccleuch Estates do not want to easily give away the land
the trust desires. They have, after all, the plans for the massive wind
farm on that part of the estate.
Meanwhile, the villagers have quite a different vision, one that involves
community ownership, an eco campsite, anti-pollution measures and possibly
a few small wind turbines.
Lincoln Richford, chair of the Wanlockhead Community Trust, said,
“Wanlockhead, which long ago left its dependency on the duke behind, is
gently trying to encourage Buccleuch to step into the 21st Century. The
typical modern villager is no longer content to rely on the hoped-for
goodwill of the landowner for families making their own living and making
their own decisions.”
Mac Blewer, secretary of the trust, added, “Scotland as a whole does seem
to be fighting a dated, nearly Victorian paternalistic attitude held by
some of the landed gentry that communities are seen as being unable or
incapable of making decisions for themselves. Wanlockhead has tremendously
talented and self-reliant folk living here. I have no doubt that we are
fully capable of managing the land as well if not better than the current
landlord. We know what we need. We can do this.”
The duke is rarely seen at Wanlockhead. Davie Duncan, a local who has lived
in the village for the past 28 years, declared, “The duke does nothing for
the village. Not a thing.”
He did however, recall that the Duke of Buccleuch had visited it once in
recent years to reopen the museum. “He came up. I’ve never seen anyone
dressed so poorly in all my life – frayed cuffs on his jacket. He said, ‘I
hope you’re not expecting a donation’.
“He’s not very popular. He wants to put up another 40-odd wind turbines
right round the village.”
Nor did, Duncan consider the estate management had done much for them.
“They removed some asbestos. That’s all they’ve done for the village. Sheep
roam the village here – just make a mess. We’re not very friendly with the
estate really.”
Buccleuch Estates, however, say that they are willing to sell some fraction
of the desired land to them. John Glen, CEO of Buccleuch Estates said, “We
made clear there are other areas of land where we could enter into
agreements with the community that would help facilitate their ambitions.
There is, however, a large area of land where transfer of ownership would
conflict with existing farming operations of tenant farmers and our own
farming operations.
“The existing tenant farmers – some of whom have farmed the same land for
generations – have made clear they do not wish to see a change of ownership.”
For the community, however, the fraction on offer seems too little.
SNIP
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