Rural Services

Our Rural Services team brings together lawyers with a sense of history and an understanding of the realities of modern rural life.

Our services include:

landlord and tenant issues arising from the Agricultural Holdings legislation, Land Court applications and Single Farm Payment entitlements including all aspects of agricultural law
crofting law, including resumptions, decrofting, crofting community buy-outs
renewable energy, including dealing with lease documentation, funding and company formations for wind farms, hydro-electric schemes, biomass plant
feudal Dignities, including the sale, purchase and registration of baronies, lordships and earldoms, legal and historical research, dealing with hearings in the Court of the Lord Lyon
servitudes for access and services, private water and drainage systems, public access code issues
sporting rights, shooting and fishing rights, including salmon fishings and related property issues
minerals, including options for leases for sand and gravel, coal and peat extraction
buying, selling and leasing all types of rural property
telecommunications and radio masts
community buy-outs including advising landowners and community companies
commercial and residential developments on greenfield sites

We represent clients who have owned their estates for centuries, providing them with a wide range of legal advice. In addition we advise farmers, crofters, renewable energy developers, rural charities, hostelling bodies and numerous other companies and private individuals. Clients include the Argyll and Lochiel Estates, Edinburgh University, the Scottish Youth Hostels Association, Rosslyn Chapel Trust and high-profile individuals such as the TV personality, Uri Geller.