Scottish Government publishes final review of community rights to buy
The Scottish Government has published a final review of community rights to buy following a four-phase process of evidence gathering, analysis, public consultation, and policy development. The review assesses four rights introduced since 2003 and proposes reforms to increase their use, address stakeholder concerns, and ensure fair and sustainable outcomes. It recommends simplifying the framework by merging certain compulsory rights while retaining separate provisions for non-compulsory and crofting rights, alongside standardising terminology and improving clarity. It also proposes lowering eligibility thresholds for community bodies, considering adjustments to ballot requirements, and maintaining petition thresholds to balance accessibility with demonstrable support. For late applications, it retains key safeguards while streamlining processes and clarifying requirements, and confirms that landowners may withdraw assets from sale. The review further supports the continued use of third-party purchasers with additional safeguards, explores increased transparency around option agreements, maintains existing appeal timescales, and proposes extending registration periods to reduce administrative burden. It also introduces practical improvements, including enhanced guidance, a public register of compliant community bodies, and simplified procedures to improve accessibility and consistency.