The Scottish Government

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1 Introduction and Summary

1.1 This bulletin presents a summary of results from the 2007 Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey ( SVDLS). It is the seventeenth survey in a series including the first 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.

1.2 The survey is a co-operative effort between local authorities and the Scottish Government. Annex Table E shows annual participation rates by local authorities since 1996.

1.3 During the collection of the 2007 survey, previous survey returns for the years 2002 to 2006 were revised to remove sites that had been taken out of the survey for definitional reasons. Other previous errors highlighted in the 2007 survey returns were also corrected. This process allows for improved time series analysis within this bulletin. Further information is available in Annex A.4, along with unrevised historical data for 1996 to 2001.

1.4 The following main points emerge from the 2007 survey:

• There were 10,240 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land recorded in the 2007 survey, of which 2,660 hectares (26%) were urban vacant and 7,580 hectares were derelict (74%).
• Since 2002, there has been a decrease of 448 hectares in the total amount of derelict and urban vacant land recorded in the survey, from 10,687 hectares in 2002 to 10,240 hectares in 2007. This is attributable to land being brought back into productive use or being removed due to naturalisation.
• Since 2002, an average of 616 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land was brought back into use each year. The 2007 survey recorded 642 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land being reused since 2006.
• The local authority with the highest amount of recorded derelict and urban vacant land is North Lanarkshire, containing 1,399 hectares (14% of Scotland total). Glasgow City has the second highest amount with 1,268 hectares (12% of Scotland total). Highland is third with 1,044 hectares (10%).
• 27% of Scotland's population is estimated to live within 500m of a derelict site in 2007. The local authorities with the highest proportion of their population living within 500m of derelict land are West Dunbartonshire (59%), Glasgow City (59%) and North Lanarkshire (50%).

Chart 1: Derelict and Urban Vacant land by local authority, 2007

1.5 The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey ( SVDLS) is an annual survey undertaken to establish the extent and state of vacant and derelict land in Scotland and the amount of land that has been reclaimed since the previous survey. While not all local authorities participate fully, the vast majority of central belt and urban authorities provide data every year. Furthermore, each of Scotland's 32 local authorities provided a response in 2007. The main purpose of the survey is to provide a national data source to inform the programming of the rehabilitation, planning and reuse of urban vacant and derelict sites.

1.6 Vacant land is land which is unused for the purposes for which it is held and is viewed as an appropriate site for development. This land must either have had prior development on it or preparatory work has taken place in anticipation of future development. The main part of this bulletin covers vacant land (referred to as 'urban vacant') that is located within settlements of over 2,000 in population (as defined in council local plans, see Annex Section A.5). Some local authorities have also surveyed for vacant land within settlements of under 2,000 in population. Further information on those results can be found in Annex Table B.

Table 1: Derelict and urban vacant land ¹ by local authority area, 2007

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. As a percentage of the total vacant/derelict land recorded in Scotland
3. A partial survey was completed for Highland - See Annex A.11

1.7 Derelict land (and buildings) is land which has been so damaged by development, that it is incapable of development for beneficial use without rehabilitation. In addition the land must currently not be used for the purpose for which it is held or a use acceptable in the local plan. Land also qualifies as derelict if it has an unremedied previous use which could constrain future development. For urban vacant and derelict land, site records must be at least 0.1 hectares in size to be included.

1.8 Table 1 shows that in 2007 there were 10,240 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land, of which 74% was classified as derelict (7,580 hectares). 5 councils; North Lanarkshire, Glasgow City, Highland, Renfrewshire and Fife together contain 54% of all recorded derelict and urban vacant land.

1.9 3,830 sites were recorded in the 2007 survey. The 10 largest sites in Scotland collectively account for 23% of all recorded derelict and urban vacant land. Those 10 sites (all of which are derelict) include the Former Royal Ordnance site at Bishopton, Renfrewshire (708 hectares), Fearn and Fendom Airfields in Highland (collectively 681 hectares) and Ravenscraig East and West sites in North Lanarkshire (271 hectares).

1.10 The distribution of derelict and urban vacant land by Local Enterprise Company ( LEC) area is shown in Table 2. The 4 Local Enterprise Company areas with the highest levels of derelict and urban vacant land are Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire (1,898 hectares), Scottish Enterprise Glasgow (1,268 hectares), Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian (1,172 hectares) and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire (1,114 hectares).

1.11 Table 2 also shows the amount of urban vacant and derelict land located within Scotland's National Parks. 26 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land lies within a National Park (18 hectares in Cairngorms and 8 hectares in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs).

Table 2: Derelict and urban vacant land ¹ by Local Enterprise Company area, 2007 ²
Derelict and urban vacant land ¹ located within Scotland's National Parks, 2007 ²

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. A partial survey was completed for Highland - See Annex A.11

1.12 Table 3 shows the area of recorded derelict and urban vacant land in the years 2002-2007. It should be noted that a small number of councils did not participate in every survey during those years. In these cases, the most recent available data is used to provide an estimate for the appropriate year.

1.13 The period covered by the most recent survey (2007) showed a net decrease of 197 hectares in Scotland's total amount of derelict and urban vacant land, from 10,437 hectares in 2006 to 10,240 hectares in 2007. This follows a net decrease of 121 hectares in derelict and urban vacant land, recorded in 2006.

1.14 Overall, the total amount of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland has shown a net decrease of 4 per cent since 2002 (from 10,687 hectares in 2002 to 10,240 hectares in 2007). The change in the recorded amount of derelict and urban vacant land during 2002-2007 is much more varied by council. 20 councils had larger relative decreases in levels of recorded derelict and urban vacant land, including Aberdeen City (down 53 per cent), Falkirk (down 50 per cent) and South Lanarkshire (down 21 per cent). 8 councils have more recorded derelict and urban vacant land in 2007 than they did in 2002. This includes North Ayrshire (up 48 per cent), Fife (up 39 per cent) and West Lothian (up 22 per cent). Some of the larger relative changes for certain councils (for example the Shetland Islands) are due to there only being a small base of recorded land in 2002.

Table 3: Total Derelict and Urban Vacant land ¹ by local authority area, 2002-2007 ²

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
2. See Annex Table E for details of council participation in different years.
3. During 2007, historical data for the years 2002-2006 was revised to remove sites that had been taken out of the survey for definitional reasons and to correct any other previous errors highlighted in the 2007 survey returns. Further information on this process is available in the Annex along with unamended historical data for the survey years of 1996-2001.

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