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Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2002 - Statistical Bulletin ENV/2003/1
5 Previous uses of vacant and derelict land
5.1 The previous uses of vacant and derelict land sites are shown in Table 10. In the SVDLS guidance notes, it is made clear that former agricultural land should not be included unless it is characterised by specific unsightliness or neglect. It has been noted in the past that there is a large amount of land included where the previous use was agriculture.
5.2 This year the amount of former agricultural land has been reduced but it should be noted that three councils make up 47 per cent of this total. One local authority explained that in some instances when sites are released for development, they are not initially classed as vacant. However, once development has started, the remaining area is then classified as vacant hence increasing the total of vacant and derelict land. Another explained that the majority of the sites are have been prepared for development and hence are now classified as vacant.
Table 10: Previous uses of vacant and derelict sites 1, 2002 2,3
Previous Use | Derelict Land | Vacant Land | Total Vacant and Derelict Land |
Area (ha) | % of Derelict Land (by Area) | No. of Sites | Area (ha) | % of Vacant Land (by Area) | No. of Sites | Area (ha) | % of Total V&D Land (by Area) | No. of Sites |
Agriculture | 195 | 3 | 108 | 633 | 26 | 289 | 828 | 9 | 397 |
Business Class | 16 | * | 4 | 4 | * | 5 | 21 | * | 9 |
Community & Health | 382 | 5 | 82 | 239 | 10 | 79 | 621 | 6 | 161 |
Defence | 1,981 | 27 | 42 | 70 | 3 | 20 | 2,052 | 21 | 62 |
Education | 39 | 1 | 24 | 107 | 4 | 66 | 146 | 2 | 90 |
Forestry/Woodland | 12 | * | 10 | 8 | * | 8 | 21 | * | 18 |
Manufacturing | 1,332 | 18 | 277 | 243 | 10 | 128 | 1,575 | 16 | 405 |
Mineral Activity | 1,971 | 27 | 281 | 68 | 3 | 16 | 2,038 | 21 | 297 |
Nature Conservation | 11 | * | 1 | - | - | - | 11 | * | 1 |
Offices | 2 | * | 5 | 2 | * | 9 | 4 | * | 14 |
Other General Industry 4 | 132 | 2 | 91 | 146 | 6 | 156 | 278 | 3 | 247 |
Passive Open Space | 29 | * | 27 | 136 | 6 | 116 | 165 | - | 143 |
Recreation & Leisure 5 | 110 | 2 | 57 | 67 | 3 | 72 | 177 | 2 | 129 |
Residential | 129 | 2 | 188 | 360 | 15 | 489 | 490 | 5 | 677 |
Retailing | 16 | * | 37 | 21 | 1 | 41 | 38 | * | 78 |
Storage | 183 | 3 | 81 | 49 | 2 | 66 | 232 | 2 | 147 |
Transport | 416 | 6 | 180 | 102 | 4 | 87 | 519 | 5 | 267 |
Utility Services | 94 | 1 | 24 | 31 | 1 | 27 | 125 | 1 | 51 |
Wholesale Distribution | 16 | * | 6 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 29 | * | 15 |
Other | 192 | 3 | 81 | 153 | 6 | 127 | 345 | 4 | 208 |
Unknown 6 | 536 | - | 289 | 804 | - | 669 | 1,340 | - | 958 |
Total | 7,796 | 100 | 1,895 | 3,258 | 100 | 2,479 | 11,053 | 98 | 4,374 |
1 Figures may not sum due to rounding
2 2001 data have been used for Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, North Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders
3 2000 data has been used for Moray
4 Excluding Manufacturing
5 Excluding passive space
6 Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentages
5.3 Where the previous use is known, 27 per cent of derelict land recorded in 2002 had formerly been used for defence (1,981 hectares) closely followed by mineral activity, also accounting for 27 per cent of recorded derelict land (1,971 hectares). The most common previous use for recorded vacant land was for agriculture (26 per cent, or 633 hectares) and the second most common previous use was for residential development, accounting for 15 per cent of recorded vacant land (360 hectares). The previous use was unknown for 1,340 hectares of land (12 per cent of the total amount of vacant and derelict land recorded in 2002).
5.4 Chart 4 shows the 20 most common previous uses of vacant and derelict land, ranked by area.
Chart 4: Previous uses of vacant and derelict land, 2002 1
1. 2000 data has been used for Moray, and 2001 data have been used for Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, North Ayrshire and the Scottish Borders.
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