News

On the 13th January 2026 the Cabinet Secretary for Finance delivered the Scottish Budget for 2026–27. The detail is there to be picked over, but two headlines which warrant comment are: New Council Tax Bands (‘Mansion Tax’) Following the November budget, where the UK government announced a tax on homes worth £2 million or more in… Read more »

Contract Farming Opportunity Tig Valley Farms, Ballantrae, South Ayrshire Dynamic and experienced contractor required to manage, through a Contract Farming Agreement, two productive neighbouring livestock farms, Mains of Tig & Bellimore on Tig extending to about 663 ha (1639 acres), initially for 5 years. · 67 spring calving suckler cows · 380 cross ewes ·… Read more »

Dalreoch Shoot, South Ayrshire Two October days available 250 – 300 birds For further information contact Nick Wright email info@stanleywright.co.uk or call 01659 58697

The last few years have been a little uncomfortable for the Scottish farming community as we watched our neighbours over the border start to navigate their way through opportunities and obstacles in relation to the future of farm support.  This discomfort was made more acute by constant exhortations to land owners and managers to ‘get… Read more »

The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 paved the pathway for NatureScots recent announcement that the Grouse Shoot Licensing Scheme will launch on the 15th July 2024.  Back in March of this year, Scottish Land & Estates hailed this legislation as a ‘seismic change’ in how Grouse moor management would operate; but once the… Read more »

Well done to James Barnett in achieving his chartered surveying status. James has been with Stanley Wright since 2020 and undertakes all aspects of rural estate management. Jamie Holden joins us from Cirencester Agricultural College where he completed his degree in Rural Land Management. Jamie will be assisting with estate management and professional services as… Read more »

The Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area (SPA) covers around 26, 832 hectares of moorland north and south of Muirkirk. It is one of the largest special protection areas in Scotland and internationally important due to the vulnerable birds it supports. It is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).… Read more »

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 was introduced in response to the emergency situation caused by the impact of the costs crisis on those living in the rented sector. This brought a temporary rent freeze and a temporary moratorium on evictions, along with increased damages for unlawful evictions until at least 31 March… Read more »

The grants have enabled the landowners to form wader scrapes and undertake rush management across two sites in Ayrshire, improving habitats for wading birds.