Scottish Government

7 Derelict and Urban Vacant Land: The Reuse and Fall Out of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land

7.1 Table 16 shows the area and number of new distinct sites, which have been identified as vacant or derelict since the last survey was conducted. There were 232 hectares (120 sites) of newly identified derelict land since the previous survey. Of these, 67 hectares (4 sites) were in North Ayrshire and 49 hectares (25 sites) were in Scottish Borders. There were 136 hectares (158 sites) of newly identified urban vacant land since the previous survey. Of these, 22 hectares (37 sites) were in Glasgow City and 20 hectares (18 sites) were in North Ayrshire. Note that these figures relate only to completely new sites identified; sites listed in the previous survey, which increased in size, are not included in Table 16. This increase accounts for approximately 69 additional hectares of land.

7.2 Of the 369 hectares (278 sites) of newly identified land in 2007, 76 hectares (88 sites) are situated within Scotland's 15% most deprived datazones as identified by the 2006 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD). This represents 21% of all newly identified land and almost a third (32%) of all newly identified sites.

Table 16: New Sites identified since the previous survey by local authority area, 2007 ^1-3

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. This is the first time since 2005 that South Ayrshire have run the survey. Thus their data represents any new sites identified since 2005.
3. Sites identified since the previous survey but recorded as falling out of use prior to 2006 are not included in the above table.

7.3 Tables 17 to 23 relate only to sites (or parts thereof) which were brought back into actual use. Sites removed for definitional reasons or due to naturalisation are not included. 17 sites and 20 hectares of formerly derelict and urban vacant land in 2006 were removed due to naturalisation in the 2007 survey. Details of land removed for definitional reasons can be found in Annex Table D.

Table 17: Derelict land reclaimed and urban vacant land brought back into use since the previous survey, by local authority area, 2007 ¹

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. This is the first time since 2005 that South Ayrshire have run the survey. Thus their data represents any sites reused since 2005.

7.4 Table 17 shows that a total of 642 hectares (498 sites) were reclaimed or brought back into use since the previous survey, this figure includes vacant sites that were previously derelict and excludes those sites removed for definitional reasons or due to naturalisation. 324 hectares of land reclaimed back into use was derelict, of which 11% was in North Lanarkshire (34 hectares) and 10% was in West Dunbartonshire (32 hectares). Of the 318 hectares of urban vacant land brought back into use, 17% (55 hectares) was in Glasgow City and 15% (47 hectares) was in Falkirk. The largest derelict or urban vacant sites brought back into use in 2007 were the Bellsdyke Hospital site in Falkirk (40 hectares) being reused for residential development, the ex NEC site in West Lothian (29 hectares) being reused for storage and the Oudenarde Hospital site in Perth & Kinross (25 hectares) being reclaimed from derelict to vacant land, prior to new development.

7.5 The new use of sites, or part of sites, that were reclaimed or brought back into use (excluding sites removed for definitional reasons) are shown in table 18. The most common new use for derelict land was residential development, with 34% (109 hectares) of the land reclaimed for this purpose. The second most common new use was the reclaiming of derelict land to vacant status, accounting for 17% and 55 hectares. For urban vacant land, the most common new use was also residential development, with 54% (171 hectares) of the land reused for this purpose. The second most common new use was education, with 9% of urban vacant land reused for this purpose (29 hectares).

Table 18: Reclaimed derelict land and urban vacant land brought back into use since the previous survey, by new use, 2007 ¹

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. Excluding Manufacturing.
3. Excluding Passive Open Space.
4. Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentages

7.6 Table 19 shows the sources of funding used for bringing derelict and urban vacant land back into use since the previous survey. The most common source of funding was the private sector (77%). The source of funding was unknown for 4% of reclaimed land and public sector funding accounted for 10% of reclaimed land. Glasgow City had the greatest area brought back into use by public funding (22 hectares) with a further 14 hectares brought back into use with mixed funding.

7.7 There is some difference in the new use of previously derelict or urban vacant land, depending on the source of funding used to bring about that use. Whilst residential development is the most common new use for land regardless of whether it had private funding only or public/mixed funding, 49% of all new privately funded land re-use was for residential development, compared to only 30% of publicly funded or mixed funded land re-use.

Table 19: Sources of funding used for derelict land reclaimed and urban vacant land brought back into use since the previous survey, by local authority area, 2007 ¹

1. Mixed public and private sector funding or partnership

Table 20: Derelict land reclaimed and urban vacant land brought back into use at the Scotland level, 2002-2007 ^1-3

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 on the reuse of land from the years 2002-2006 was revised to correct any previous errors highlighted during the 2007 survey returns. Further information on this process is available in Annex A.4.

7.8 Table 20 shows the total amount of derelict land reclaimed and urban vacant land reused in each of the past 6 survey years. The amount of derelict land reclaimed has fluctuated during 2002 to 2007, with the lowest amount of 199 hectares reclaimed in 2004 and the highest of 458 hectares the following year in 2005. At 220, the largest number of reclaimed derelict sites occurred in 2006, though the total land reclaimed was lower than 2005 at 252 hectares. On average, 306 hectares of derelict land was reclaimed in each year between 2002 and 2007. After a significant drop in 2003, the amount of urban vacant land reused has gradually increased in the years following. The highest amount of urban vacant land reused occurred in 2002 at 391 hectares, with the lowest happening the following year at 271 hectares. On average, 309 hectares of vacant land was reused each year between 2002 and 2007. Despite the fact that there has been significantly more derelict land than urban vacant land recorded in the SVDLS over the 2002-2007 period, slightly more urban vacant land has been reused on average during this period than derelict land. This is likely to reflect the greater ease with which urban vacant land can be reused as it does not require the amount of land remediation prior to redevelopment as derelict land does.

7.9 Table 21 shows the amount of formerly derelict and urban vacant land that has been reclaimed or reused with the involvement of the Scottish Government's Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF). The 3 councils in receipt of this fund since the 2004/05 financial year were Dundee City, Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire. To date, a total of 68 hectares of formerly derelict and urban vacant land has been removed from the survey with the VDLF making either a partial or full contribution. Dundee City and Glasgow City have both so far reused 27 hectares (across 19 and 18 sites respectively) of formerly derelict and urban vacant land using the fund. Whilst South Lanarkshire was also included in the fund (as of financial year 2006/07), no land as of yet has been recorded as being reused with Vacant and Derelict Land Funds. Any involvement the VDLF has had with existing sites in the 2007 SVDLS ( i.e. those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in table 21.

Table 21: Sites where the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF) was a funding source used to reclaim derelict land and bring urban vacant land back into use, 2005-2007 ^1-3

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. The Scottish Government Vacant and Derelict Land Fund contributed either partially or fully to the reclamation or reuse of the 52 sites shown in the above table. This includes money used to prepare the land for development, e.g. decontamination
3. Any involvement the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has had with existing sites in the 2007 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the above table

7.10 Table 22 shows an estimate of the number of properties (both residential and communal) that are situated within 500m of a site reclaimed using the VDLF (either solely or in combination with other funds). Across the 3 councils in the Fund for 2004-2007, 51,266 properties were within 500m of land reclaimed with the involvement of the VDLF. Of those properties, 50% (25,618) were within 500m of 1 reclaimed site, 31% (15,652) were within 500m of 2 reclaimed sites and the remaining 19% (9,996) were within 500m of at least 3 reclaimed sites. To date, the largest number of properties in close proximity to land reclaimed using the fund are located within Dundee City (24,633 properties). North Lanarkshire has 13,637 properties within 500m of land reclaimed using the fund, whilst Glasgow City has 12,996.

7.11 Table 23 shows an estimate of the number of properties (both residential and communal) that are situated within 500m of a site reclaimed using the VDLF (either solely or in combination with other funds), split by deprivation level. Overall, 57% of the 51,266 properties within 500m of land reclaimed using the VDLF were situated within Scotland's 15% most deprived datazones (29,335 properties). The remaining 43% (21,931 properties) were located outwith the 15% most deprived datazones. At the council level, 11,320 or 87% of the properties in close proximity to reclaimed land in Glasgow City were in the 15% most deprived datazones, compared to 50% (12,242 properties) for Dundee City and 42% (5,773 properties) for North Lanarkshire.

Table 22: Estimate of the number of properties within 500m of at least 1 site reclaimed using the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF), 2005-2007 ^1,2

1. Properties based on Ordnance Survey 2006 Address Point Data, See Annex Note A.9 for further information.
2. Any involvement the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has had with existing sites in the 2007 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the above table.
3. A further estimated 301 properties within South Lanarkshire are located within 500m of a reclaimed site within Glasgow City Boundaries. A further estimated 11 properties within Angus are located within 500m of a reclaimed site within Dundee City Boundaries.

Table 23: Estimate of the number of properties within 500m of at least 1 site reclaimed using the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF), split by deprivation, 2005-2007 ^1,2,4

1. Properties based on Ordnance Survey 2006 Address Point Data, See Annex Note A.9 for further information.
2. Any involvement the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has had with existing sites in the 2007 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the above table.
3. A further estimated 301 properties within South Lanarkshire are located within 500m of a reclaimed site within Glasgow City Boundaries. A further estimated 11 properties within Angus are located within 500m of a reclaimed site within Dundee City Boundaries.
4. SIMD 2006 results are used to identify datazones within the top 15% most deprived.