Would you move to the countryside if your student loan was written off?

Would tax reliefs or even writing off student loans be enough to encourage more people to build a life in the countryside?

Those are among a series of recommendations in a new report urging Scottish politicians to follow examples set by nations including Norway and Canada, where bold incentives are being used to combat rural depopulation.

Scottish Land and Estates warns the issue is becoming “acute”, hitting key industries and threatening the sustainability of local communities.

Inchbare, a tiny Angus village of around 80 residents just two miles from Edzell, has already shown what is possible when opportunities are made available.

Darrell Mcritchie moved there with his family from Brechin in 2020.

He told STV News: “We’ve got a family of four now, when we moved in it was only three. We were previously in a small flat in the town.

“When this came up we just went for it and luckily we were accepted and it’s been all good since then.”

The house he now calls home was built by a local estate with partial Scottish Government funding, offering affordable rent and helping attract young families to rural Angus.

James Campbell Adamson from Stracathro Estates said: “Six houses (in Inchbare) had over 400 people apply from the local area.

“It shows the huge demand for good, quality housing like this.

“I think it was seen as a good opportunity for a lot of families for a fresh start, have more space, bring their families up in a warm, safe environment.”

The approach is one campaigners want to see replicated on a much wider scale as forecasts point to a 12% fall in Scotland’s rural population over the next 20 years.

A new report from Scottish Land & Estates urges ministers to introduce greater financial support for those choosing rural life.

Cameron Gillies from Scottish Land & Estates said: “Countries like Canada, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Ireland, they’ve all implemented schemes to reverse the tide of depopulation successfully.

“We want to learn from their successes and see what works here in Scotland.”

Among the ideas proposed is wiping student debt for workers in key sectors, which is seen as a potential way to attract young people into remote communities.

Access to public services remains one of the most significant barriers. Stracathro Primary School, which just a few years ago faced closure with a roll of only 16 pupils, is now operating at full capacity with 25 children enrolled.

The Scottish Government says there are “no quick fixes” but points to ongoing support for initiatives in seven local authority areas designed to boost rural population growth.