Community Land Scotland

29/07/2026

Excellent opportunity to work with a really inspiring community!

Unique opportunity alert…

Huntly Development Trust is seeking a new Manager for our flagship, award-winning Number 30 venue in Huntly town centre.

In just two years since its transformation from a vacant former department store into a vibrant multi-use hub, Number 30 has become an anchor attraction for the town of Huntly and wider area. With its café, cinema and performance venue, gallery and event space, co-working facilities, learning and conference spaces, Banking Hub and other community facilities, Number 30 is helping breathe new life into Huntly town centre. It employs 20 people (ca 10 FTE) and offers training and volunteering opportunities for several others.

We are looking for the right person to now build on these successful foundations and lead Number 30 into a new phase.

Working closely with the HDT board, staff team, volunteers and partners, you will ensure the venue delivers exceptional customer experiences, remains financially sustainable and continues to meet the needs of locals and visitors. In return, we offer a competitive salary, a varied and rewarding work environment and a hugely meaningful place in a fantastic community.

Interested, or know someone who might be? All information, including how to apply, can be found in the application pack at: https://www.huntlydt.org/news/are-you-are-new-number-30-manager

27/07/2026

This investigation by Parkswatch neatly demonstrates the failings and vulnerabilities inherent to the models of speculative nature-finance investors. The rates at which Nature can regenerate, and recover, don’t align with its commodification or competitive returns for private investment. https://buff.ly/qNn5DRE

The bluff and bluster of firms like Oxygen Conservation (OC) about the potential of nature finance markets in Scotland stands in stark contrast to assessments by the Scottish Land Commission who have said investor behaviour 'does not align well with the long-term nature of environmental regeneration and adds further weight to arguments that reliance on private investment motivations to support natural capital enhancement should be reevaluated.'. https://buff.ly/b6794ZD

It’s unclear what exactly is cutting edge about projects such as OC, or indeed why investors would “buy-in”, when the plans highlighted by Parkswatch is typical of nature restoration approaches across the public and NGO sector in Scotland.

It's time to address this farce head on and instead of derisking and subsidising the pockets of nature finance speculators, we should look at policies and public spending that deliver good value for money and real positive outcomes for nature, climate and communities.

A month before large areas in Strath Nethy and Glenmore were consumed by fire, I went for a short walk to have a look at part of the Caledonian pinewood around Glen Brown which also lies within the Cairngorms National Park. This fragment of Caledonian pinewood is located on the Dorback Estate, which...

27/07/2026

Check out our latest opinion piece in the Sunday National by our Policy Officer, Dr Darren Wisniewski

“THE housing crisis. Soaring energy bills. Crumbling high streets. Nature loss. Climate breakdown. Depopulation. Food security.

These might not be the usual things that spring to mind when you hear the words “land reform”.

But land reform – changing how our land is owned, managed, and regulated – is a fundamental part of how we seriously tackle these huge and damaging issues, all of which are directly connected to Scotland’s largely unregulated land market.

Why? Because land is everything.”

Read more on our website with links to the Sunday National article.

THE housing crisis. Soaring energy bills. Crumbling high streets. Nature loss. Climate breakdown. Depopulation. Food security.  

21/07/2026

We were delighted to have the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, Gillian Martin, visit Còigach Community Development Company in Achiltibuie to see community ownership in action.

We visited a range of community owned and managed assets including the community hall, the new community led housing project, sites for future projects, and the site of the community owned wind turbine and new Lorg na Còigich memorial.

The visit demonstrated the power of community ownership. Where land and assets are acquired to effectively deliver on local needs. Where wealth generated by assets like renewable energy, is reinvested into people and place. Rewiring local economies and building thriving communities.

We look forward to working with the Cabinet Secretary to continue to enhance opportunities and support for community right to buy and community ownership in this parliament.

Coigach Community Development Company, Achiltibuie

15/07/2026

Do you believe communities should have more power over the places where they live?
We're looking for an Inclusive Ownership Policy Officer to help shape the future of community ownership in Scotland. Working as part of our new UK-wide Inclusive Ownership partnership, you'll lead policy development, research and evidence gathering to help break down barriers to community ownership and ensure community voices influence policy and practice.

You'll work closely with communities, policymakers and partners across Scotland, Wales and England to turn grassroots experience into meaningful system change.

📍 Anywhere in Scotland (hybrid)
🕒 Full-time, 35 hours per week
📅 Apply by 28 July

Find out more and apply: https://buff.ly/3gP49N1

13/07/2026

What if more communities had the opportunity to own the assets that shape their futures?

Our new Inclusive Ownership project is supporting communities across Scotland, Wales and England to explore, acquire and manage land and buildings for community benefit. The project has a particular focus on communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in community ownership.

To help deliver this work, we're recruiting for two new posts:
🔹 Partnership Coordinator
🔹 Policy Officer

Join us in helping create stronger local economies and more community-owned assets.

🔗 Learn more: https://buff.ly/IQtEm2f

09/07/2026

We're hiring an Inclusive Ownership Partnership Coordinator.

This role will play a key part in coordinating a pioneering UK-wide partnership that supports communities to take ownership of land and buildings. Working across Scotland, Wales and England, you'll help build relationships, support governance, organise learning opportunities and keep partners connected.

📍 Hybrid, Scotland-based
⏰ 28 hours per week
📅 Applications close 28 July

If you're passionate about collaboration, community-led development and creating positive change, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now:

Inclusive Ownership is a new five-year UK-wide partnership funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. The project brings together Community Land Scotland, CLES (Centre for Local Economies), The Ubele Initiative, Shared Assets, Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Cwmpas to support more communities....

07/07/2026

We're growing our team!

Community Land Scotland is recruiting for two new roles as part of our ambitious Inclusive Ownership project, a UK-wide partnership working to make community ownership of land and buildings more accessible. The project focuses particularly on urban and post-industrial communities, and communities that have historically faced barriers to ownership.

We're looking for:
✅ Inclusive Ownership Partnership Coordinator
✅ Inclusive Ownership Policy Officer

Help us support communities to develop sustainable assets, build local wealth and create lasting change.

🔗 Find out more and apply:

We would like to make sure that you have the best recruitment experience possible. Here is some handy information about applying for a role.

06/07/2026

Funding opportunity! The Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund supports community groups in Scotland to develop local ecosystem restoration projects. This Fund focuses on the development stages of undertaking ecosystem restoration (the design, planning and preparation for ecosystem restoration).

Not-for-profit community-led groups can apply for up £13,500 for projects focusing on one or more of these themes: Connecting nature corridors, Habitat and species restoration, Freshwater and wetland restoration, Coastal and marine, Control of invasive non-native species, and Urban nature.

Learn more on Inspiring Scotland's website:

The Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund seeks to inspire, encourage, and enable communities to explore and develop ambitious ecosystem restoration projects locally. It

29/06/2026

We’re excited to share some big news ✨

Community Land Scotland has secured £4.25 million from The National Lottery Community Fund - thanks to National Lottery players - to deliver a new UK‑wide partnership project, Inclusive Ownership.

This project will support over 100 communities to explore taking control of land and buildings, particularly in urban and post‑industrial areas.

It’s all about making community ownership more accessible, especially for communities facing disadvantage and Black and Minoritised communities.

Our Partners across the UK are Cwmpas, Coalfields Regeneration Trust, The Ubele Initiative, Shared Assets and CLES.

👉 Find out more: https://buff.ly/YW9C1Ny