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Statistical Bulletin ENV/2004/1 Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2003

4 Contamination of derelict and urban vacant land

4.1 Table 7 shows the contamination status of all recorded derelict and urban vacant land; under the definitions used in the survey, all sites that are known or suspected to be contaminated are defined as being derelict rather than vacant (paragraph 2.2). 689 derelict sites, covering 4,394 hectares, were either suspected or known to have contamination. The contamination status of 3,504 hectares of vacant and derelict land (32 per cent of the total) was unknown. The survey draws on existing sources of data regarding contamination and does not specifically require the testing of sites. The term 'contamination' used in the survey differs from the statutory definition in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and refers simply to the presence or absence of a number of potential contaminants.

Table 7: Contamination status of derelict and urban vacant land ¹, 2003 ²

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. 2002 data have been used for the following council areas: Argyll and Bute, Moray, Scottish Borders and the Shetland Islands.
3. Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentage values

4.2 The 2,489 hectares of derelict land that is known to be contaminated (Table 7) is broken down by main contamination type in Table 8. Asbestos is the most common contaminant, affecting 784 hectares (45 per cent) of known contaminated derelict land. The other main known contaminant is coal, which affects 481 hectares (28 per cent). Together, these two contaminants affect 12 per cent of all derelict land, irrespective of contamination status.

Table 8: Contaminated land, by contamination type ¹, 2003 ^{2, 3}

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. 2002 data have been used for the following council areas: Argyll and Bute, Moray, Scottish Borders and the Shetland Islands.
3. Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentage values

4.3 Table 9 shows land known to be contaminated, categorised by Local Enterprise Company. Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire area has 753 hectares of known contaminated land, representing 30 per cent of the total of known contaminated land. Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire area has 611 hectares of known contaminated land, representing 25 per cent of the national total. SE Ayrshire has the largest number of contaminated sites (77 sites) representing over a third of contaminated sites in Scotland.

Table 9: Known contaminated land ¹ by Local Enterprise Company, 2003 ²

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. 2002 data have been used for the following council areas: Argyll and Bute, Moray, Scottish Borders and the Shetland Islands.

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