Helping communities manage land and property

Our local management pilots scheme has been designed to encourage local authorities, development trusts and other eligible bodies to manage Scottish Crown Estate land and property rights in their local area.

We hope that this scheme – and the projects that emerge from it – will enable us to work with others to test different methods of managing assets, empowering communities and giving people more say in decisions that impact the land, foreshore and sea near where they live.

We are keen to work with innovative proposals that have the support of local people including, importantly, existing tenants, and that will use Scottish Crown Estate assets to enhance sustainable development.

Following engagement and consultation with community organisations, local authorities and others on the structure and design of the scheme (see here for a summary of consultation responses), the Stage One application process closed on 16 August 2018 and attracted 13 applications. 

A total of six projects progressed to Stage 2 of the process, five of which were announced in October (see here for the announcement), and one project was brought to the Stage 2 process following applicant feedback. A further five projects progressed to greater local involvement via alternative mechanisms such as leasing, or closer partnership working and collaboration.

The Stage 2 application window was extended in response to feedback from applicant organisations to 12 March 2019. The Board of Crown Estate Scotland decided which projects will be taken forward as ‘preferred projects’ at the end of May 2019. The following organisations' applications are being progressed as 'preferred projects':

• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Galson Estate Trust
• Forth District Salmon Fishery Board
• Orkney Islands Council
• Shetland Islands Council

In autumn 2020, Forth District Salmon Fishery Board became the first applicant to sign an agreement.

A summary of those applications and a map showing the application boundaries is available here. If tenants within these areas, or other parties with relevant interest, have any questions about the scheme they should contact the relevant applicant organisation or get in touch with us at pilots@crownestatescotland.com.    

Applicants should read our Local Pilots Scheme Privacy Notice here.

More information about the Local Management Pilots Scheme

• Local Pilots Privacy Notice 338.59 KB
• Criteria & Process (including application guidance) 370.03 KB
• Consultation feedback summary 333.11 KB
• Stage 1 Q&A summary 510.47 KB
• Stage 2 applicant summaries and boundary map 3.05 MB