Critics have warned that the SNP’s Land Reform Bill will have a damaging effect on businesses and the way of life in rural communities.

The bill, which returns to parliament this week, has faced fierce opposition from a number of landowning groups and other interested parties.

A joint letter at the weekend from solicitor Don MacLeod and former Green MSP Andy Wightman urged SNP rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon to pause the debate, arguing the legislation might not be compatible with the Scottish Parliament’s legal powers.

Tories rural affairs spokesman Tim Eagle said: “The SNP’s Land Reform Bill is completely unworkable in its current guise – and so we cannot support it this week.”

Ministers say the Bill builds on existing Land Reform legislation, giving power back to communities by ensuring they have a voice on decisions affecting the land they live and work in.

A range of new measures include giving Scottish Ministers new lotting powers on land sales over 1,000 hectares for the first time ever, mandatory community engagement in land management, and the creation of a new land and communities commissioner to oversee compliance with land management obligations.

The Scottish Greens want ministers to go further by allowing them to refuse a land sale if the buyer already owns 500ha.

SNP MSP Emma Harper MSP said: “Now is the time for parties in the Scottish Parliament to unite on this next historic step on our land reform journey and build upon the hard-won rights of communities and tenant farmers.  

“For too long too much power has been held by our lairds and wealthy landowners – this bill marks a watershed moment and sends a clear signal – change is coming.”

However, there has been widespread criticism of the bill and its intention to weaken the hand of landlords.

Scottish Land and Estates chief executive Sarah-Jane Laing said: “…the proposal risks being derailed by a punitive approach – the stick rather than the carrot. Fines of up to £40,000 for breaches could be larger than serious environmental crimes.”

The NFUS has said the bill would punish those who manage land to exceptionally high standards, as well as doing lasting damage to the businesses and communities it claims to support.

Mr Eagle said measures such as lotting – where SNP ministers will make a final decision on the transfer of large landholdings – risk “class warfare” occurring in some communities, while proposals on the future of agricultural tenancies will deter new entrants from coming into the industry.

He said there is still time for ministers to recognise the flaws in the bill and to accept that further changes must be made before MSPs have a final vote on the legislation.

“Ministers had the chance to listen to rural Scotland throughout the passage of this bill, yet they didn’t – and we have ended up with another utterly shambolic piece of nationalist legislation.

“Far from supporting rural Scotland, their bill will impose measures that are extremely damaging to rural businesses and communities.”

He added: “The scale of opposition from across the political spectrum should tell SNP ministers that they have got this wrong, with some critics warning it might even breach  Holyrood’s legal powers.”