Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has revealed the Scottish Land Commission (SLC) will be located in Inverness.

The new Government body has been created as a key part of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 and will be based in Longman House.

The organisation will review law and policy as well as making recommendations to the Scottish Government on matters relating to the country's lands.

In addition, the SLC will include five Land Commissioners, support staff and the Tenant Farming Commissioner, who will develop codes of practice and provide support to the tenant farming sector.


Around 20 new jobs are to be created by the body and Hilary Pearce has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer. She will work with the Commission until summer 2017.

Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "Land reform is a journey and we are determined to ensure all of the people of Scotland can benefit from our land. The Land Reform Scotland (Act) was a significant milestone and delivered a number of important changes.

"The legislation paved the way for setting up a new Scottish Land Commission which will help to ensure that we continue to progress with land reform and I am delighted to confirm it will be based in Inverness.

"This will provide approximately 20 new jobs in the area while providing a base that is easily accessible for all parts of Scotland. The city location symbolises that land reform is no longer an exclusively rural issue – we want to see people in our towns and cities reap the benefits of land reform too."

(LM/MH)