Regional Land Use Partnerships: Evaluation Report

Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) are a collaboration between local and national government, communities, landowners, land managers and wider stakeholders.

Through closer collaboration, better knowledge sharing and improved communication, they aim to facilitate inclusive working between all land users.

Evaluation Report

With funding for 2025/26 secured, a summary evaluation report has been published showcasing the fantastic work that has been carried out across the regions during the pilot phase (2021 – 2024). This has provided invaluable learning as well as laying the building blocks for this next stage of work.

Each RLUP was established and developed to reflect the needs of its own area. For example:

• The NorthWest2045 partnership, in Scotland’s North West Highlands, a notable example of how an RLUP can focus on creating and supporting the conditions that can initiate positive action. This is demonstrated by their excellent work supporting the local community through enabling community members, crofters, and landowners to explore and address many different issues, from childcare to natural capital, renewable energy, and offshore servicing. The establishment of the Land+ Project ensured more people are involved in conversations about the land they are connected to and how it is used, demonstrating how an RLUP, even in the early stages, can make a practical difference to rural communities.

Through this pilot the RLUPs were tasked with developing a Regional Land Use Framework (RLUF) to prioritise actions for land use change to address the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

• In early 2024 the South of Scotland RLUP brought forward the first pilot developed RLUF showcasing innovation in land use decision making. It is being delivered by the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership which has established the RLUP as a strategic priority group to deliver its ambition of a fair, green, and flourishing region.

After a successful pilot programme, the Scottish Government (SG) announced plans to support four regions to transition from pilots to SG backed initiatives and provided a long-term commitment to a wider national roll-out.

Since then, the SG has continued to work with NorthWest2045, South of Scotland Enterprise, Cairngorms National Park Authority and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, as we begin to understand and develop the future for RLUPs.

During the transition period we want to see RLUPs continue to develop organically, allowing all of us to better understand how partnership working can be mutually beneficial. In particular, how partnership working can optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way, that meets local and national objectives and supports Scotland’s just transition to net-zero.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon said;

“I am delighted to continue to support Regional Land Use Partnerships. As the report illustrates, this initiative has great potential to bring local and national interests closer together, empowering people to consider how land is used in their locality and how it could contribute to our wider national ambitions around climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable rural communities.”

For more information on the Regional Land Use Partnerships and to access the summary evaluation report, click here.