Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2017

10 Derelict and Urban Vacant Land: New and Reclaimed Sites

10.1 Table 17 shows the area and number of new sites in 2017 that have been identified as vacant or derelict since the last survey was conducted. There were 156 hectares (65 sites) of newly identified derelict land since the previous survey. Of these 70 hectares (20 sites) were in North Lanarkshire. There were 73 hectares (56 sites) of newly identified urban vacant land since the previous survey. Of these, 14 hectares (2 sites) were in Dumfries and Galloway and 10 hectares (7 sites) in East Ayrshire. Note that these figures relate only to completely new sites identified. Sites listed in the previous survey which changed in size or changed from derelict to vacant or vice versa are not included in Table 17.

10.2 Highland and West Lothian did not update their survey in 2017 and therefore there is no information on new sites for these local authorities.

10.3 Tables 18 to 24 relate only to sites (or parts thereof) which were brought back into use. Sites removed due to naturalisation or for definitional reasons are not included. 35 sites (109 hectares) of formerly derelict and urban vacant land were removed due to naturalisation and 19 sites (183 hectares) were removed for definitional reasons in the 2017 survey. Further details can be found in Table D in the Annex.

10.4 Table 18 shows that a total of 857 hectares (317 sites) were reclaimed or brought back into use since the previous survey, excluding those sites removed for definitional reasons or due to naturalisation. 688 hectares of land reclaimed back into use was previously derelict, of which 78% was in Renfrewshire (536 hectares). Of the 169 hectares of urban vacant land brought back into use (188 sites) 32% was in Renfrewshire (53 hectares). The largest derelict or urban vacant site brought back into use in 2017 was part of the former royal ordnance site (506 hectares) at Bishopton in Renfrewshire, now used as passive open space.

10.5 The new use of sites, or part of sites, that were reclaimed or brought back into use (excluding sites removed for definitional reasons or due to naturalisation) are shown in Table 19. The most common new use for sites that were previously derelict land was for residential development, with 50% of sites (65 of 129) reclaimed for this purpose. However the largest area of previously derelict land was brought back into use as passive open space (508 hectares, 74% of total area). Residential use was the second largest (105 hectares, 15% of total area). For urban vacant land the most common new use was also residential development, with 46% of sites (87 of 188) reclaimed for this purpose. Residential use also covered the largest area (89 hectares, 53% of total area). The second most common use was passive open space (24 sites, 13%) which also had the second largest area (18 hectares, 11%).

Table 17: New Sites identified since the previous survey by local authority area, 2017 ^1,2

Local Authority	Derelict Land		Urban Vacant Land		Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land
	Area (ha)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	No. of Sites
Aberdeen City	-	-	4	4	4	4
Aberdeenshire	9	7	-	-	9	7
Angus	-	-	-	-	-	-
Argyll & Bute 3	-	-	-	-	-	-
Clackmannanshire	12	1	3	4	15	5
Dumfries & Galloway	10	5	14	2	24	7
Dundee City	-	-	7	10	7	10
East Ayrshire	6	1	10	7	16	8
East Dunbartonshire	2	1	-	-	2	1
East Lothian	4	2	-	-	4	2
East Renfrewshire	-	-	-	-	-	-
Edinburgh, City of	6	2	6	7	12	9
Falkirk	-	-	4	2	4	2
Fife	5	5	5	3	11	8
Glasgow City	7	5	1	1	8	6
Highland 4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Inverclyde	*	1	2	1	2	2
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs 3	-	-	-	-	-	-
Midlothian	-	-	-	-	-	-
Moray	-	-	*	1	*	1
Na h-Eileanan Siar	-	-	-	-	-	-
North Ayrshire	8	3	-	-	8	3
North Lanarkshire	70	20	7	7	76	27
Orkney Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-
Perth & Kinross 3	2	2	-	-	2	2
Renfrewshire	-	-	1	2	1	2
Scottish Borders	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shetland Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-
South Ayrshire	1	3	-	-	1	3
South Lanarkshire	12	6	9	3	21	9
Stirling 3	-	-	-	-	-	-
West Dunbartonshire 3	1	1	1	2	1	3
West Lothian 4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Scotland	156	65	73	56	229	121

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. Sites identified since the previous survey but recorded as falling out of use prior to 2016 are not included in the above table. However, where the local authority does not know when a site first became vacant or derelict then it will appear in the above.
3. From 2011 LLTNP took responsibility for surveying vacant and derelict land within the park boundaries. These sites are no longer recorded in Argyll & Bute, Perth & Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire local authority boundaries, and are separately identifiable as LLTNP from 2011 onwards. Prior to 2011, these sites were classified within the relevant local authority boundary.
4. Highland and West Lothian did not complete a survey in 2017 and therefore there is no information on new sites.

Table 18: Derelict Land reclaimed and Urban Vacant Land brought back into use since the previous survey, by local authority area, 2017 ^{[1, 4]}

Local Authority	Derelict Land			Urban Vacant Land			Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land
	Area (ha)	% of Derelict Land (by Area)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	% of Urban Vacant Land (by Area)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	% of Total Land (by Area)	No. of Sites
Aberdeen City	2	0	1	5	3	4	6	1	5
Aberdeenshire	0	0	2	8	5	5	8	1	7
Angus	7	1	4	1	1	1	8	1	5
Argyll & Bute 2	.	.	.	0	0	1	0	0	1
Clackmannanshire	1	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	2
Dumfries & Galloway	.	.	.	1	0	1	1	0	1
Dundee City	2	0	5	26	16	26	28	3	31
East Ayrshire	4	1	4	4	2	4	8	1	8
East Dunbartonshire	.	.	.	3	2	3	3	0	3
East Lothian	2	0	3	.	.	.	2	0	3
East Renfrewshire	.	.	.	2	1	5	2	0	5
Edinburgh, City of	.	.	.	2	1	1	2	0	1
Falkirk	2	0	3	8	5	9	10	1	12
Fife	6	1	7	3	2	6	9	1	13
Glasgow City	39	6	23	23	13	26	62	7	49
Highland 3	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Inverclyde	1	0	2	5	3	13	6	1	15
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs 2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Midlothian	39	6	13	0	0	1	39	5	14
Moray	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Na h-Eileanan Siar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
North Ayrshire	7	1	2	7	4	7	14	2	9
North Lanarkshire	23	3	31	4	2	6	27	3	37
Orkney Islands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Perth & Kinross 2	5	1	6	0	0	1	5	1	7
Renfrewshire	536	78	11	53	32	46	589	69	57
Scottish Borders	1	0	4	2	1	4	3	0	8
Shetland Islands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Ayrshire	1	0	2	0	0	1	2	0	3
South Lanarkshire	2	0	3	7	4	9	9	1	12
Stirling 2	.	.	.	3	2	5	3	0	5
West Dunbartonshire 2	7	1	2	1	0	2	8	1	4
West Lothian 3	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Scotland	688	100	129	169	100	188	857	100	317

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. From 2011 LLTNP took responsibility for surveying vacant and derelict land within the park boundaries. These sites are no longer recorded in Argyll & Bute, Perth & Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire local authority boundaries, and are separately identifiable as LLTNP from 2011. Prior to 2011, these sites were classified within the relevant local authority boundary.
3. Highland and West Lothian did not update their survey in 2017 and therefore there is no information for reclaimed or reused sites.
4. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the 2017 vacant land register.

Table 19: Reclaimed Derelict Land and Urban Vacant Land brought back into use since the previous survey, by new use, 2017 ^[1,5]

New Use	Derelict Land			Urban Vacant Land			Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land
	Area (ha)	% of Derelict Land (by Area)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	% of Urban Vacant Land (by Area)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	% of Total Land (by Area)	No. of Sites
Agriculture	3	1	2	*	*	1	4	*	3
Business Class	2	*	2	2	1	3	4	*	5
Community & Health	-	-	-	4	2	4	4	*	4
Defence	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Education	3	*	1	7	4	5	10	1	6
Green/Environmental	1	*	1	*	*	2	2	*	3
Manufacturing	8	1	4	6	4	4	14	2	8
Mineral Activity	13	2	2	7	4	1	20	2	3
Offices	-	-	-	*	*	1	*	*	1
Other General Industry 2	7	1	7	5	3	10	12	1	17
Passive Open Space	508	74	6	18	11	24	527	62	30
Recreation & Leisure 3	2	*	4	5	3	7	7	1	11
Residential	105	15	65	89	53	87	194	23	152
Retailing	3	*	8	6	4	8	9	1	16
Storage	6	1	11	6	4	8	11	1	19
Transport	3	*	6	9	5	16	12	1	22
Utility Services	16	2	1	*	*	1	16	2	2
Wholesale Distribution	-	-	-	1	*	2	1	*	2
Woodland (Community-Based)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Woodland (Non-Community-Based)	2	*	2	-	-	-	2	*	2
Vacant Pending New Use	2	*	3	-	-	-	2	*	3
Other	1	*	2	2	1	3	3	*	5
Unknown 4	3	-	2	*	-	1	4	-	3
Total	688	100	129	169	100	188	857	100	317

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.
5. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the 2017 vacant land register.

10.6 Table 20 shows sources of funding used to bring derelict and urban vacant land back into use since the previous survey. The largest area brought back into use with funding involved private sector funding (178 of 258 hectares, 69%). Public sector funding accounted for 28 hectares (11%) and mixed public and private funding was used for 34 hectares (13%). The source of funding was unknown for the remaining 19 hectares. In addition, 599 hectares were listed as having no funding or funding not being applicable. Glasgow City and Midlothian had the greatest areas brought back into use by private funding (38 and 35 hectares respectively), North Lanarkshire reclaimed the most land with public funding (6 hectares).

Table 20: Sources of funding used for Derelict Land reclaimed and Urban Vacant Land brought back into use since the previous survey, by local authority area, 2017 ^[1]

Local Authority	Public sector funding (ha)	Private sector funding (ha)	Mixed funding 2 (ha)	Unknown (ha)	None / not applicable (ha)	Total (ha)
Aberdeen City	4	2	1	-	-	6
Aberdeenshire	*	8	-	-	-	8
Angus	-	8	1	-	-	8
Argyll & Bute 3	-	-	-	-	*	*
Clackmannanshire	-	1	-	-	-	1
Dumfries & Galloway	-	-	-	1	-	1
Dundee City	4	22	1	-	*	28
East Ayrshire	-	1	*	6	2	8
East Dunbartonshire	-	3	-	-	-	3
East Lothian	-	-	-	2	-	2
East Renfrewshire	-	2	-	-	-	2
Edinburgh, City of	-	2	-	-	-	2
Falkirk	1	5	3	1	-	10
Fife	-	5	4	-	-	9
Glasgow City	*	38	20	4	-	62
Highland 4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Inverclyde	3	1	*	1	1	6
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs 3	-	-	-	-	-	-
Midlothian	2	35	-	2	*	39
Moray	-	-	-	-	-	-
Na h-Eileanan Siar	-	-	-	-	-	-
North Ayrshire	1	9	1	3	-	14
North Lanarkshire	6	18	-	-	3	27
Orkney Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-
Perth & Kinross 3	4	1	-	-	-	5
Renfrewshire	-	-	-	-	589	589
Scottish Borders	*	3	-	-	-	3
Shetland Islands	-	-	-	-	-	-
South Ayrshire	*	2	-	-	-	2
South Lanarkshire	1	4	1	-	3	9
Stirling 3	1	1	1	-	-	3
West Dunbartonshire 3	1	7	-	-	-	8
West Lothian 4	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Scotland	28	178	34	19	599	857

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. Mixed public and private sector funding or partnership.
3. From 2011 LLTNP took responsibility for surveying vacant and derelict land within the park boundaries. These sites are no longer recorded in Argyll & Bute, Perth & Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire local authority boundaries, and are separately identifiable as LLTNP from 2011. Prior to 2011, these sites were classified within the relevant local authority boundary.
4. Highland and West Lothian did not complete a survey in 2017 and therefore there is no information for sources of funding.

10.7 For land receiving public/mixed funding the largest area of new use was for residential development (56%), followed by education (15%). For privately funded land the largest area of new use was also for residential development (52%), followed by mineral activity (10%).

10.8 Table 21 and Chart 7 show the total amount of derelict land reclaimed and urban vacant land reused in each of the past 7 survey years. The amount of derelict land reclaimed has varied over the period 2011 to 2017, with the lowest amount reclaimed in 2012 (134 hectares) and the largest (688 hectares) reclaimed this year. The amount of urban vacant land reused has also varied over the period 2011 to 2017, with the lowest amount reused in 2014 (122 hectares) and the largest (169 hectares) this year.

Table 21: Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land reclaimed, 2011-2017 ^[1,2,3,4]

	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
Derelict Land (ha)	186	134	239	207	205	174	688
Total Sites	113	92	133	123	119	125	129
Urban Vacant Land (ha)	151	153	164	122	150	146	169
Total Sites	150	141	188	140	194	154	188
Total Area Reclaimed (Derelict & Urban Vacant)	338	288	404	329	356	320	857
Total Sites	263	233	321	263	313	279	317

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. See Annex Table E for details of council participation in different years.
3. During 2017, historical data on the reuse of land from the years 2011-2016 were revised to correct any revisions to the data highlighted in the 2017 survey returns. Further information on this process is available in Annex A.5.
4. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant or derelict site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the vacant and derelict land register.

Chart 7: Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land Reclaimed, 2011-2017

10.9 On average, 191 hectares of derelict land per year was reclaimed between 2011 and 2016. In 2017 there was a notable increase with 688 hectares of derelict land reclaimed on 129 sites, 506 hectares from a single site (former Royal Ordnance site at Bishopton, Renfrewshire). On average, 148 hectares of urban vacant land was reused per year between 2011 and 2016. In 2017 there was a slight increase with 169 hectares of urban vacant land reclaimed on 188 sites.

10.10 Table 22 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). Two councils have been in receipt of this fund since the start in 2005/06, Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire. Dundee City, which had also been in receipt of the funds from 2005/6 was replaced by Fife in 2015/16. South Lanarkshire joined the scheme in 2006/07 and Highland joined in 2008/09 but was recently replaced by North Ayrshire.

10.11 To date, a total of 386 hectares of formerly derelict and urban vacant land has been removed from the survey with the VDLF making either a partial or full contribution. Glasgow City has reused 132 hectares (72 sites) and Dundee City has reused 116 hectares (91 sites) of formerly derelict and urban vacant land using the fund. Any involvement the VDLF has had with existing sites in the 2017 survey (i.e. those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in Table 22, but will appear when the sites are bought back into use in the future.

Table 22: 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, 2005-2017 ^1,2,3,4

Local Authorities receiving Vacant and Derelict Land Funds	Derelict Land		Urban Vacant Land		Total Derelict and Urban Vacant Land
	Area (ha)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	No. of Sites	Area (ha)	No. of Sites
Dundee City	33	8	83	83	116	91
Fife	-	-	1	1	1	1
Glasgow City	60	48	73	24	132	72
Highland	7	15	19	17	26	32
North Lanarkshire	63	28	4	8	66	36
South Lanarkshire	41	9	4	11	45	20
TOTAL	203	108	183	144	386	252

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 252 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 2017 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the above table.
4. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant or derelict site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the vacant and derelict land register.

10.12 Table 23 shows an estimate of the number of properties (both private households and communal establishments) that are situated within 500 metres of a site reclaimed using the VDLF (either solely or in combination with other funds). Across the six councils in the Fund for 2005-2017, an estimated 155,800 properties were within 500 metres of land reclaimed with the involvement of the VDLF. Of those properties, 54% (84,700) were within 500 metres of 1 site reclaimed with the involvement of the VDLF, 21% (32,200) were within 500 metres of 2 reclaimed sites, and the remaining 25% (38,900) were within 500 metres of at least 3 reclaimed sites. To date, the largest number of properties in close proximity to land reclaimed using the fund is located within Glasgow City (58,800 properties). Dundee City has 40,800 properties within 500 metres of land reclaimed using the fund, North Lanarkshire has 21,700, South Lanarkshire has 17,600 and Highland has 16,200. In Fife there are 700 properties in close proximity to the one site reclaimed using the fund so far.

Table 23: Estimate of the number of properties within 500 metres of at least 1 site reclaimed using the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF), 2005-2017 ^1,2,7,8

Local Authority	Properties within 500m of land reclaimed using VDLF 7,8
	1 Site Only	2 Sites Only	3 Sites +	Total
Dundee City 3	12,200	8,300	20,300	40,800
Fife	700	-	-	700
Glasgow City 4,6	30,800	15,500	12,500	58,800
Highland	14,100	2,000	100	16,200
North Lanarkshire	15,600	3,200	2,900	21,700
South Lanarkshire 5	11,300	3,200	3,100	17,600
Total	84,700	32,200	38,900	155,800

1. Properties based on National Records of Scotland Address Register data 2017. See Annex Note A.8 for further information.
2. Any involvement the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has had with existing sites in the 2017 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the table above.
3. A further estimated 60 properties within Angus and Perth & Kinross are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Dundee City boundaries.
4. An estimated further 20 properties within Renfrewshire are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Glasgow City boundaries.
5. An estimated 800 of the properties are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Glasgow City boundaries.
6. An estimated 2600 of the properties are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within South Lanarkshire boundaries.
7. Properties that are estimated to have been built on the reclaimed site have been removed from this analysis.
8. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant or derelict site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the vacant and derelict land register.

10.13 Table 24 shows an estimate of the number of properties (both private households and communal establishments) that are situated within 500 metres of a site reclaimed using the VDLF (either solely or in combination with other funds), split by deprivation level. Overall, 51% of the 155,800 properties within 500 metres of land reclaimed using the VDLF were situated within Scotland's 15% most deprived data zones (78,700 properties). The remaining 49% (77,100 properties) were located outwith the 15% most deprived data zones. At council level, in Glasgow City 39,400 or 67% of the properties in close proximity to reclaimed land were in the 15% most deprived data zones, compared to 45% (18,400 properties) for Dundee, 45% (8,000 properties) for South Lanarkshire, 41% (9,000 properties) for North Lanarkshire, 31% (200 properties) for Fife and 23% (3,700 properties) for Highland.

Table 24: Estimate of the number of properties within 500 metres of at least 1 site reclaimed using the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund ( VDLF), split by deprivation, 2005-2017 ^[1,2,3,8]

Local Authority	Properties within 500m of land reclaimed using VDLF 7,8
	Within 15% Most Deprived Datazones	Outwith 15% most Deprived Datazones	Total	Percent of Properties near remediated land within 15% most deprived datazones
Dundee City 4	18,400	22,400	40,800	45
Fife	200	500	700	31
Glasgow City 5,7	39,400	19,400	58,800	67
Highland	3,700	12,500	16,200	23
North Lanarkshire	9,000	12,700	21,700	41
South Lanarkshire 6	8,000	9,600	17,600	45
Total	78,700	77,100	155,800	50

1. Properties based on National Records of Scotland Address Register data 2017.
2. Any involvement the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has had with existing sites in the 2017 Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (those not yet removed from the survey) is not recorded in the table above.
3. Properties that are estimated to have been built on the reclaimed site have been removed from this analysis.
4. A further estimated 60 properties within Angus and Perth & Kinross are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Dundee City boundaries.
5. An estimated further 20 properties within Renfrewshire are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Glasgow City boundaries.
6. An estimated 800 of the properties are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within Glasgow City boundaries.
7. An estimated 2600 of the properties are located within 500 metres of a reclaimed derelict site within South Lanarkshire boundaries.
8. The number of sites refers to the number of packages of land classed as reused and may not directly correspond a full site that was previously listed as vacant or derelict. For example if a previously vacant or derelict site was partly reused for residential and partly for passive open space while the remainder was still classed as vacant it would be listed as 2 separate reused sites in the table and also still remain on the vacant and derelict land register.