Row over £17.6m of public cash spent on Glen Prosen sporting estate

The Herald Scotland

13 hours ago

It comes amidst continuing concerns over whether [[Scottish Government]] is investing enough millions into its own shipyard company Ferguson Marine to keep it functioning after it delivers the last of two much delayed and wildly overbudget ferries Glen Rosa.
There has been criticism that after 32 months there has been no management plan for the site.
Under new Land Reform legislation a failure to produce such a plan would result in a substantial fine.
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The Scottish Government hoped that the legislation would provide communities with more say on decisions relating to the ownership of land.
It came as concerns had been growing over the rise of the phenomenon known as Green Lairds.
This new generation of landowners are accused of inflating the market and pricing out community groups in the rush to offset damaging emissions.
The bill as amended which is still to be passed details a maximum £40,000 fine for failure to comply with community engagement obligations for large land holdings, which includes land management plans.
Among other things, the plan is meant to set out what the long term vision is for the land and how it contributes to achieving the net-zero emissions target, including increasing or sustaining biodiversity.
FLS bought the 8,700 acres of land with ten estate buildings using the Scottish Government's fund for woodland creation.
When the estate, north of Kirriemuir which sits in one of the five highland glens of Angus, was bought it ceased to be run as a sporting estate having previously offered grouse-shooting, deer stalking and salmon fishing.
Owner Robin Batchelor approached several potential buyers after deciding to offer it for sale.
And the Scottish Government admitted that 'off-market and confidentiality arrangements imposed by the seller' meant FLS could not consult with the local community before the deal was done.
Ministers said after being quizzed in September, last year - two years after the purchase - that there was an intention to set out a management plan and that the acquisition provided opportunities for landscape restoration. It was stated that there were plans to create new woodland and montane scrub, restore peatlands and rivers, improving biodiversity and ensuring resilience to climate change.
They said last year that had been 20 months of preparatory work including carrying out ecological surveys to better understand the landscape and that a land management plan would eventually be produced.
Edward Mountain (Image: George Munro) Among the critics is Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain who is also convener of the parliamentary net zero, energy and transport committee who says that the purchase has been "veiled in a the cloak of 'commercial confidentiality' with every attempt to winkle out the details of the purchase rebuffed".
He says all that they have been told is that the justification for the purchase "was because the land was of strategic importance".
He has called on ministers to present the justification that was made for the purchase of the estate so that it could be understood what 'strategic importance' was.
He said: 'All we know is that the purchase is 'strategically' important, and that the monies came from the Scottish Government's fund for woodland creation.
"It is unacceptable that, 32 months later, there has been no justification of the purchase.
"Under the proposed new Land Reform legislation – as introduced by the [[Scottish Government]] – the fact that the estate has not yet produced a management plan would be considered unacceptable, and Forestry and Land Scotland would be subject to a substantial fine. I believe this to be fundamentally hypocritical.
'I have asked the Scottish Government to provide me with details regarding the purchase and future of Glen Prosen. I very much look forward to receiving this information, and hope that it might clarify the true intention behind the purchase of 3,500 hectares of land.'
The Scottish Government said that consultation on a land management plan for all the iconic Angus glens, including Glen Prosen closed in April with the final version due to be submitted for approval in the Autumn.
Ministers say it will set out plans for "extensive new native woodland creation, peatland and river restoration to help recover wildlife, lock up carbon and create landscapes that people can enjoy and benefit from".
Three years ago an analysis by the Scottish Land Commission, an official body set up to reform land ownership found that the majority of Highland estates that changed hands in one year were sold in secret, and nearly half went to absentee owners rushing to buy rural land for environmental reasons.
It found almost two-thirds of the deals were done in secret and half of the estates were sold to corporate bodies, investment funds or charitable trusts.
Nick KempeNick Kempe, of campaign group Parkwatch Scotland has said that the purchase was initially unheralded with no news release on their plans to let people know what was going on.
"It isn't a particularly special place. There are more important areas of land to buy," he said.
"The Scottish Government hasn't given a justification for this.
"The most important thing they could have done is reduce deer numbers and they aren't doing that.
"There does not seem to be a coherent strategy. From a land perspective, it doesn't make sense.
"It has been one total farce. They have no idea after all this time or sensible plans over what to do with it.
"Without that, why would you buy it?"
Land reform secretary Mairi Gougeon said FLS was working closely with the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants Group to look at opening more land up to new farmers – including opportunities in the Angus Glens – adding to the 4,000 hectares already provided on land it manages.
Mairi Gougeon (Image: Alan Peebles) She said: "FLS acquired Glen Prosen to demonstrate how land in public ownership can help us tackle the key challenges of climate change and nature loss, whilst critically encouraging access to land and creating new jobs and opportunities. New native woodland will be created, peatland will be restored, helping to recover wildlife, reduce flood risk and create landscapes that people can enjoy and benefit from.'
FLS says that its broad aims on purchasing the estate were "in line with the Scottish Government's commitment to nature recovery, climate resilience and people's health and wellbeing".
They say that it forms the centre of approximately 26,000 acres of public land, giving them the opportunity "to work with other public bodies and neighbouring landowners to achieve landscape-scale habitat restoration in the Cairngorms National Park".