New figures have revealed the amount of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland decreased by 2% in 2016.

The total amount of land has fallen by 253 hectares, from 12,688 hectares in 2015 to 12,435 hectares in 2016.

The most common new use of derelict and urban vacant land was residential, with 62% (199 hectares) of the land that was brought back into use reclaimed for housing developments.

Of the 165 hectares of new derelict and urban vacant land reported by local authorities, the most common previous land uses were related to manufacturing or other general industrial uses, which accounted for 75 hectares or 45% of new land reported.


While the total amount of derelict and urban vacant land has decreased in each year between 2010 and 2016, there was an increase of 2,090 hectares in 2014 largely due to over 2,200 hectares of former surface coal mine sites in East Ayrshire that had become derelict following the liquidation of Scottish Coal and ATH Resources.

The local authority with the largest amount of recorded derelict and urban vacant land is East Ayrshire, containing 2,457 hectares (20% of the Scotland total).

Overall, ,189 hectares (28%) of derelict and urban vacant land was reported to be developable in the short term in 2016, with an expectation of development in the next five years. A total of 2,918 hectares (26%) of derelict and urban vacant land is seen by local authorities as being uneconomic to develop and/or is viewed as suitable to reclaim for a 'soft' end use (i.e. non-built use).

(LM)