Renewables are a valuable source of revenue for rural landowners and communities. Our legal advice helps you maximise the benefits and manage any risks

Our Rural – Land and Business team is highly experienced in advising landowners, estates and community-owned bodies on renewable energy projects.

We regularly support clients on wind, hydro, solar and battery storage projects, and we’re one of the few law firms in Scotland with the experience to advise on pumped storage hydro schemes.

Low carbon with low stress

Renewables projects are an attractive way to diversify but can also raise complex legal issues. Using our detailed understanding of the rural sector and experience in renewables, we’ll help you protect your interests when dealing with developers.

We can also ensure your plans are compatible with existing and planned future uses of the land, your relationships with the local community and other third parties.

To do this, we’ll advise you on all the key matters in the process, including:

  • Negotiating option agreements and leases
  • Exploring and managing the legal implications with existing agricultural and sporting leases
  • Advising on any crofting and common grazings implications and related Land Court processes
  • Negotiating access, cable route servitudes and oversail agreements if a nearby project will affect your land

Existing contracts

If your land is already affected by a renewable energy project, our team can make sure your interests are protected when considering repowering or extension plans, helping you resolve disputes, or managing any other legal issues that arise.

Lindsays’ ‘competent, responsive and approachable’ team ‘understands the requirements of its clients’ and is recognised for its ‘great renewable-sector knowledge

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Meet the team

We advise on the legal matters that come with land, rural property and rural enterprise. That includes buying and selling, agricultural tenancies and crofting, access rights and servitudes, renewables, minerals and telecoms, rural disputes, and the contracts that support rural businesses. We also have specialist experience in Scottish barony titles and heraldry, including the sale and purchase of feudal dignities.