Scottish Vacant And Derelict Land Survey 2021
The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS) is a data collection undertaken to establish the extent and state of vacant and derelict land in Scotland.
This document is part of a collection
1. Key Findings
- The amount of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland decreased by 1,809 hectares (16%) from 11,268 hectares in 2020 to 9,459 hectares in 2021. The net decrease was driven by large formerly derelict sites; two derelict airfields sites were brought back into use for agriculture and 11 derelict former opencast coal sites became naturalised.
Area of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land 2021
- Of the 9,459 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land recorded in the 2021 survey 1,898 hectares (20%) were classified as urban vacant and 7,561 hectares (80%) were classified as derelict.
There has been a gradual downward trend in the area of derelict and urban vacant land since 2015.
More than half (53%) of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland is located in five authorities.
North Lanarkshire has the largest area – 1,354 hectares, 14% of the Scotland total.
Glasgow City has the largest area of the City Authorities - 880 hectares, 9% of the Scotland total.
Previous uses of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land 2021
For those sites where the previous use is known, 24% of derelict and urban vacant land had been previously used for mineral activity (2,120 hectares), 22% for manufacturing (1,987 hectares) and a further 13% for defence (1,149 hectares).
For urban vacant land, where previous use is known, manufacturing (16%, 262 hectares) had the largest area.
For derelict land the largest area with a known use was for mineral activity (29%, 2,094 hectares).
Development Potential 2021
7,316 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land, where the development potential was known, was reported to be developable, 77% of total area.
21% of all derelict and urban vacant land was considered developable in the short term - development within five years.
13% of all reported derelict and urban vacant land was considered uneconomic to develop and/or is viewed as suitable to reclaim for a ‘soft’ end use (i.e. non-built use).
People’s Proximity to Derelict Land in 2021
- Overall in Scotland 27% of the population were estimated to live within 500 metres of a derelict site, though there were differences across the country.
- North Lanarkshire had the highest percentage with 74%. In Na h-Eileanan Siar none of the population lives within 500 metres of a derelict site.
Area of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land reclaimed or brought back into use 2021
966 hectares of land was reclaimed or brought back into use in 2021.
An additional 1,019 hectares were recorded as naturalised.
Uses and funding of land reclaimed or brought back into use 2021
The largest area of land was brought back into use for agriculture at 600 hectares (three sites including two airfields). The most sites were brought back into use for residential purposes (116 sites).
Where the source of funding was known, solely private sector funding was the source for the largest amount of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land brought back into use in 2021 at 113 hectares.
104 hectares of Derelict and Urban Vacant Land brought back into use in 2021 involved some form of public funding, either a full or partial contribution.
Since its inception in 2005/06, the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund has contributed (either fully or partially) to the reuse of 444 hectares (in total) of previously derelict and urban vacant land across Dundee City, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire.
Availability of the publication
A copy of this publication and a set of tables in Excel format can be found on the Planning Statistics page of the Scottish Government Web site along with a dataset of current sites. View the Planning Statistics web page
Further information about the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey and how local authorities are guided to enter site information for this return can be found in the Survey Guidance. Download the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey Guidance Notes (PDF).
Information on the uses of the data and the revisions policy are available on our web pages.
View the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey Uses of the data web page
View the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey revisions policy web page
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