Asset Transfer Requests - NatureScot Annual Reports

NatureScot Annual Report 2023-2024

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

2.1 Please complete the following table for the 2023/24 reporting period: 

Total Applications Received

Number of successful applications determined

Number of unsuccessful applications determined

Number received and yet to be determined

Number received prior to 2023/24 and yet to be determined

1

0

0

1

0

2.2 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests received which resulted in transfer of ownership, lease, or rights from your relevant authority to a community transfer body in 2023/24:

-

2.3 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests that went to a relevant authority appeal or review which were concluded in 2023/24:

Name of Community Transfer Body

Was the Asset Transfer Appeal/Review accepted? (Y/N)

Why was the Appeal/Review accepted/refused? Please provide details of the asset transfer request and reasons for your decision.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2.4 Please use this space to provide any further comments relating to the above data:

 

 

Section Three – Promotion and Equality

3.1 Please provide information on any action you have taken to promote the benefits of asset transfer or any support provided for communities to engage with the Asset Transfer Request process.

We provide dedicated pages on our website for asset transfers including signposting for community support.  Our Rural Land Asset Management Policy Statement sets out how we manage our land and our aspirations for individual properties.

3.2 In particular what action has been taken to support disadvantaged communities to engage with the asset transfer process?

Section Four – Additional Information

4.1 Please use this space to provide any further feedback not covered in the above sections.

NatureScot Annual Report 2022-2023

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

2.1 Please complete the following table for the 2022/23 reporting period:
Total Applications Received  Number of successful applications determined Number of unsuccessful applications determined Number received and yet to be determined Number received prior to 2021/22 and yet to be determined
0 0 0 0 0

 

2.2 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests received which resulted in transfer of ownership, lease, or rights from your relevant authority to a community transfer body in 2022/23:

2.3 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests that went to a relevant authority appeal or review which were concluded in 2021/22:
Name of Community Transfer Body Was the Asset Transfer Appeal/Review accepted? (Y/N) Why was the Appeal/Review accepted/refused? Please provide details of the asset transfer request and reasons for your decision.
     
     

 

2.4 Please use this space to provide any further comments relating to the above data:

 

Section Three – Promotion and Equality

3.1 Please provide information on any action you have taken to promote the benefits of asset transfer or any support provided for communities to engage with the Asset Transfer Request process.

We provide dedicated pages on our website for asset transfers including signposting for community support.  Our Rural Land Asset Management Policy Statement sets out how we manage our land and our aspirations for individual properties.

3.2 In particular what action has been taken to support disadvantaged communities to engage with the asset transfer process?

 

NatureScot Annual Report 2021-2022

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.

2.1 Please complete the following table for the 2021/22 reporting period:
Total Applications Received  Number of successful applications determined Number of unsuccessful applications determined Number received and yet to be determined Number received prior to 2021/22 and yet to be determined
0 0 0 0 0

 

2.2 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests received which resulted in transfer of ownership, lease, or rights from your relevant authority to a community transfer body in 2021/22:
Name of Community Transfer Body, or community group that will take ownership, lease, or management of the asset. Date request was validated Date decision was agreed to transfer the asset Date transfer completed

Please provide further details, such as: description of the asset / area transferred / amount paid / discount given/ type of ownership / purpose of the transfer.
         
         

 

 

2.3 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests that went to a relevant authority appeal or review which were concluded in 2021/22:
Name of Community Transfer Body Was the Asset Transfer Appeal/Review accepted? (Y/N) Why was the Appeal/Review accepted/refused? Please provide details of the asset transfer request and reasons for your decision.
     
     

 

2.4 Please use this space to provide any further comments relating to the above data:

 

 

3.0 Promotion and Equality:

3.1 Please provide information on any action you have taken to promote the benefits of asset transfer or any support provided for communities to engage with the Asset Transfer Request process.

We provide dedicated pages on our website for asset transfers including signposting for community support.  Our Rural Land Asset Management Policy Statement sets out how we manage our land and our aspirations for individual properties.

NatureScot Annual Report 2020-2021

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Summary of Asset Transfer Requests
Total new applications received in 2020/21 Applications received prior to 1 April 2020 which were still to be determined at 1 April 2020 Number of successful applications agreed in 2020/21 Number of unsuccessful applications refused in 2020/21 Applications (received in any year) still to be determined as at 31 March 2021 Number of appeals under section 85
0 1 1 0 0 0

 

Details of Asset Transfer Requests received which resulted in transfer of ownership, lease, or rights from Nature Scot to a community transfer body in 2020/21:
Name of community Transfer Body, or community group that will take ownership, lease, or management of the asset Date request was accepted Date decision was agreed to transfer the asset Date transfer completed Further details
Dunnet Forestry Trust 6/1/2020 16/3/2020 25/2/2021 Dunnet Forest, covering 105ha, sold to the Dunnet Forestry Trust, who had leased the forest from NatureScot for a number of years, for continued use a community asset.

 

Awareness Raising

We publish our Property Register on our website, together with a map showing the locations of our rural landholdings.  We have also published a Rural Land Asset Management Policy Statement that sets out how we manage our land and lists which properties we believe can be better managed by others.  The website also invites those seeking further information to make enquiries to the relevant SNH area office.  Formal transfer requests can be made via a dedicated mailbox ([email protected]).

In discussing a potential sale of a nature reserve we first offered the local community an opportunity to make an asset transfer request, and attended meetings of the relevant community councils to respond to queries.

NatureScot Annual Report 2019-2020

Section 2: Asset Transfer Data in 2019/20

2.1 Please complete the following table:
Total Applications Received in 2019/20 Number of successful applications Number of unsuccessful applications Number received in 2019/20 and yet to be determined Number received prior to 2019/20 and yet to be determined
2 1 1 0 0

 

2.2 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests received which resulted in transfer of ownership, lease, or rights from your relevant authority to a community transfer body in 2019/20:
Name of Community Transfer Body, or community group that will take ownership, lease, or management of the asset. Date request was validated Date decision was agreed to transfer the asset Date transfer completed

Please provide further details, such as: description of the asset / area transferred / amount paid / discount given/ type of ownership / purpose of the transfer.
Dunnet Forestry Trust 12 December 2019 16 March 2020 To be completed 105ha of land at Dunnet Forest, valued at £60,000 and offered at £48,000 (£12,000 discount) for full ownership to the current tenant of the land for community purposes.
- - - - -

 

2.3 Please provide details of Asset Transfer Requests that were refused in 2019/20 and went to a relevant authority appeal or review including whether they were allowed or dismissed:
Name of Community Transfer Body Was the Asset Transfer Appeal/Review accepted? (Y/N) Why was the Appeal/Review accepted/refused? Please provide details of the asset transfer request and reasons for your decision.
- - -
- - -

 

2.4 Please use this space to provide any further comments relating to the above data:

SNH received an asset transfer request for Kinloch Castle, Rum from the Kinloch Castle Friends Association during 2019/20 which was refused by the SNH Board.

Section 3 - Promotion and Equality

3.1 Please provide information on any action you have taken to promote the benefits of asset transfer or any support provided for communities to engage with the Asset Transfer Request process.

SNH maintains its asset register on its website, along with information regarding its property holding and management policies.

We provided significant help and support to both organisations that have made requests to us this year.  We continue to engage with other groups that are looking to take on some of our rural properties.  We have encouraged communities of interest that wish to acquire SNH land to provide evidence of how they will liaise with local communities in their future plans for a property.

3.2 In particular what action has been taken to support disadvantaged communities to engage with the asset transfer process?

NatureScot Annual Report 2018-2019

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019.

Summary of Asset Transfer Requests
Number of requests received 0
Number of requests agreed 0
Number of requests refused 0

We completed the sale of land at Loch Druidibeg, in South Uist, to Storas Uibhist in March 2019.

We have had several enquiries about potential transfer requests for our land and properties and are holding active discussions with a number of community groups and their representatives across Scotland which may lead to requests being submitted in due course.

Awareness Raising

SNH had a stand at the Community Land Scotland conference in May 2018 in order to raise awareness of its landholding and opportunities for community ownership.

Scottish Natural Heritage publishes its Property Register on its website, together with a map showing the locations of our rural landholdings.  We have also published a Rural Land Asset Management Policy Statement that sets out how we manage our land and lists which properties we believe can be better managed by others.  The website also invites those seeking further information to make enquiries to the relevant SNH area office.  Formal transfer requests can be made via a dedicated mailbox ([email protected]).

NatureScot Annual Report 2017-2018

Reporting Period

The period of this report is 23 January 2017 to 31 March 2018.

Summary of Asset Transfer Requests
Number of requests received 0
Number of requests agreed 0
Number of requests refused 0

We have had several enquiries about potential transfer requests for our land and properties and have held/are holding active discussions with a number of community groups and their representatives across Scotland which may lead to requests being submitted in due course.

Awareness Raising

Scottish Natural Heritage publishes its asset register on its website, together with a map showing the locations of our rural landholdings.  We have also published a Rural Land Asset Management Plan that sets out how we manage our land and lists which properties we believe can be better managed by others.  The website also invites those seeking further information to make enquiries to the relevant SNH area office.  Formal transfer requests can be made via a dedicated mailbox ([email protected]).