Report urges new power to bring land back into use

The blight of abandoned buildings and parcels of derelict land in town centres and communities across Scotland could be tackled by a new power, a report by the Scottish Land Commission has said.

A proposed Compulsory Sales Order (CSO) would provide planning authorities with a straightforward mechanism to bring buildings that have been unoccupied or derelict for an undue period of time back into productive use.

Scottish Government data suggests there is around 11,600 hectares of vacant or derelict land in Scotland – an area twice the size of the city of Dundee.

“Such sites often act as magnets for crime and anti-social behaviour,” said the commission’s Professor David Adams.

“This damages quality of life for existing residents and can act as a deterrent for inward investment.”