Concerns about misleading land listings in Orkney and across the Highlands and Islands will be raised at Holyrood next week, as The Highland Council continues enforcement action in a growing crackdown on unauthorised land sales and development.
Orkney MSP Liam McArthur is set to question the Justice Secretary during portfolio questions on Wednesday, calling for stronger protections for buyers and communities affected by deceptive advertising practices.
It follows reports of agricultural land across the region being marketed as suitable for development, despite having no planning permission and limited infrastructure.
“The practice of listing unsuitable land as development-ready is unacceptable,” said Mr McArthur.
“It leaves buyers significantly out of pocket and creates understandable concerns for those in the local community.”
He welcomed Rightmove’s commitment to reviewing its listings, but warned that safeguards should already be in place and action must be taken against those who seek to exploit the system.
“As we have seen in the past, there remains a risk that those involved in such practices simply look to exploit other routes to market land in misleading ways,” he added.
His comments come as The Highland Council confirmed further legal action is underway near Spean Bridge, where three men have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal following alleged damage to a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The land in question, at Achnabobane near Fort William, lies within the nationally significant Parallel Roads of Glen Roy SSSI, a glacial feature dating back to the last Ice Age.
Police Scotland and NatureScot allege that extensive groundworks were carried out on the site without permission, including sediment removal and the creation of hardstanding areas, both of which require consent due to the site’s protected status.
“This is an internationally renowned geological site,” said Constable Dan Sutherland.
“Enquiries found large-scale operations had been carried out without the consent of NatureScot.”
NatureScot said the activity risked damaging “irreplaceable landforms” and warned that protected sites must not be disturbed.
The Council has also reiterated warnings to prospective land buyers, particularly in areas like Achnabobane, Garve, Roy Bridge and Daviot, where plots have been advertised with misleading claims about development potential.
Cllr Ken Gowans, chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said planning permission in such areas was highly unlikely and could pose risks to both the environment and public safety.
“We strongly urge anyone considering buying land to seek professional planning advice,” he said.
The Scottish Parliament will now consider whether more needs to be done at a national level to curb misleading land sales and protect communities from speculative development.
