Consultation on a draft Land Use Strategy 2016 - 2021

The land use strategy consultation runs until 29 January 2016. See the Scottish Government website for full details.

The first Land Use Strategy was published in March 2011. It initiated a step change towards a more integrated and strategic approach to land use.

The draft Land Use Strategy 2016-2021 builds on the first Strategy and retains the strategic Vision, Objectives and Principles for Sustainable Land Use. These are considered fit for purpose in terms of continuing to provide the strategic direction for sustainable land use matters. 

The draft provides a focussed set of priority activities for the next five years and policies and proposals have been developed around the following themes:

• Policy Context;
• Informed Decision Making; and
• Applying the Principles.

The draft sets out a range of policies and proposals including:

• how we manage our natural resources, including continued use of an ecosystems approach to land use decisions;
• developing and implementing activities to promote climate friendly farming and crofting;
• an exploration of the relationship between ownership, use and management of land including consideration of the potential advantages of a single policy statement about land; and
• encouraging regional land use partnerships to bring a range of interests together to consider land use at a local level.

As with other consultations, it may be difficult for the Forum to respond on behalf of members, as it may not be possible for the Forum to achieve consensus on all the issues.  However, the possibility of providing a generic response from the Forum will be considered, and Forum members will be encouraged to to respond individually.