Across Scotland, 10,240 hectares of land is classed as vacant or derelict, and about 3,500 hectares (34 per cent) of this land has been unused for at least 20 years.
Vacant land is land that 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.
Derelict land (and buildings) is land 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.
Information on the extent and state of vacant and derelict land in Scotland is collected through the annual Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey, which is the only national data source for urban vacant and derelict land, and is a cooperative effort between local authorities and the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government provides funding through the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF) to local authorities with some of the greatest concentrations of vacant and derelict land close to some of Scotland's most deprived communities.