Individuals could be limited to owning 500 hectares of land if new legislation being pushed for by a Labour MSP wins the support of parliament. 

Mercedes Villalba is set to lodge a Members Bill in Holyrood to restrict how much anyone can own, sell or transfer. 

However, one landowner group described the policy as “somewhat leftfield” and warned it could lead to job losses and damage Scotland’s ability to grow food. 

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Ms Villalba’s proposed legislation would also bring in a “public interest test” for any land transfers over the 500 ha limit.

Currently, in Scotland, there are no restrictions on how much land a single individual can own. 

According to figures from 2013, around 432 landowners own 50% of all the privately owned rural land in the country.

Thirty owners have more than 25,000 ha each, while the largest private landowner, Danish billionaire, Anders Polvsen owns just under 90,000 ha.

Ms Villalba will set out more details in a speech at the Community Land Scotland conference today. The formal consultation on the legislation will be launched next Wednesday. 

The North East MSP said: "The extraordinarily high concentration of so much land in the hands of so few, is the foundation of the inequality that has blighted Scotland for centuries.

"A small number of extremely wealthy individuals are able to buy up huge tracts of the countryside for themselves, against the backdrop of Tory austerity and a cost-of-living crisis caused by profiteers.

"The super-rich are hoarding land that should be run by community representatives and co-operatives for the benefit of everyone.

"Grouse shooting, landed privilege, and producing carbon credits for vast profits, are being put ahead of environmental restoration, affordable housing and community wealth.”

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She said it was “outrageous that “one of the greatest symbols of inequality in Scotland has been unaddressed for so long.”

The SNP Green administration’s Programme for Government 2021-2022 committed to taking forward a new Land Reform Bill that would “address the concentration of landownership in Scotland.”

A consultation ran last year, though the findings have yet to be published. It too suggested a  public interest test for the transfers of large-scale landholdings, but defined this as 3,000 ha. 

Ms Villalba described this as “timid.”

"Scotland is now at a pivotal moment for how land justice can become a priority in our response to the climate crisis.

"There's the potential to deliver on affordable housing, jobs and a 'just' economy if land is run for the benefit of everyone, rather than simply the super-rich,” she said

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Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates, said the Labour MSP’s proposals were ridiculed with inaccuracies. 

“Landowners of all types whether they be private individuals such as farmers and estate owners, charities, local authorities or government are investing heavily in rural Scotland for the benefit of people, jobs and nature. 

“We would expect this is something that the Labour Party would support,” she added.

Ms Laing said landowners had “embraced great changes in the last 20 years and have engaged constructively over proposals on land reform.” 

“It is very difficult to do so with these proposals which are riddled with so many inaccuracies and which would damage our ability to produce food and fuel, deliver for climate and biodiversity as well as creating jobs, homes and business opportunities.

“The proposed limit of 500 ha would affect many family-owned farms. 

“Ms Villalba does not seem to grasp this, nor does she appear to be aware of the scale of land reform change which has already happened. 

”Her ideas are somewhat left field  – even within her own party.”