« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2002 - Statistical Bulletin ENV/2003/1
1. Introduction and summary
1.1 This bulletin presents a summary of the results from the 2002 Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS). It is the twelfth survey in the series including the pilot study in 1988, the first completed survey in 1990, and enhanced surveys conducted annually since 1993. The survey is the only national data source for vacant and derelict land. The survey covers vacant land in, or close to, urban areas and derelict land throughout Scotland, subject to agreed exclusions and to interpretation by those carrying out the survey (see Annex A.9 for note about areas surveyed in Highland).
1.2 The survey is a co-operative effort between local authorities and the Scottish Executive Development Department. Where data were not provided in 2002 by some local authorities, data from previous surveys were carried forward to provide a best estimate. Such cases are indicated in the tables, and Annex Table D shows annual participation rates by local authorities since 1994.
1.3 The following main points emerge from the 2002 survey:
- There were 11,053 hectares of vacant and derelict land recorded in 2002, of which 3,258 hectares were vacant and 7,796 hectares were derelict.
- Since 1993, there has been a decrease in the amount of vacant and derelict land recorded in the survey, from 15,400 hectares to 11,053 hectares in 2002. This is partly attributable to land being brought back into productive use, and partly due to land being removed for definitional reasons or due to naturalisation.
- The 2002 survey recorded an overall increase of 536 hectares compared with figures published for 2001. While the area of vacant land decreased by 434 hectares, derelict land increased by 971 hectares. This increase occurred mainly in two local authority areas. In Renfrewshire an existing derelict site increased by 566 hectares. In Highland, recorded derelict land increased from 315 hectares in 2001 (based on the results of the 1993 survey) to 950 hectares in 2002 representing nine years of potential changes.
- 547 sites (684 ha) were reclaimed or brought back into use and a further 167 sites (352 ha) redefined as no longer vacant or derelict. 84 sites (217 ha) that were formerly classified as being vacant or derelict were removed from the survey due to naturalisation. 336 distinct new sites (1,142 ha) were added.
- North Lanarkshire, Glasgow City, Highland and Renfrewshire together contain 47 per cent of recorded vacant and derelict land.
- Where the length of time for which land had lain unused was known, 21 per cent of urban vacant and derelict land and 44 per cent of rural derelict land had been unused since before 1981.
- The most common new use for derelict land reclaimed in the year since the previous survey was residential development (28 per cent). For vacant land brought back into use during the same period, the most common new use was also residential development (50 per cent).
Chart 1: Vacant and derelict land by local authority, 2002
Presentation of figures in the bulletin
Throughout the bulletin:
a dash '-' is used to represent zero, and
an asterisk '*' is used to represent numbers between 0 and 0.5.
Availability of the bulletin
A copy of this bulletin can be found on the Scottish Executive Web site at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00241-00.asp
« Previous | Contents | Next »