Scottish vacant and derelict land survey 2016

6 Derelict Land: People's Proximity to Derelict Land

6.1 This section focuses exclusively on derelict land and people's proximity to such sites throughout Scotland. In 2016 there were 1,978 derelict sites recorded in the SVDLS.

6.2 Table 8 shows the percentage of local authority population that is estimated to live within various distances of derelict land in 2016. This is an estimated measure of people's proximity to derelict land and not their exposure to it.

Table 8: Estimated percentage of local authority population living within various distances of Derelict Land, 2016 ^1,2,3

1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
2. Population figures used for each local authority are the latest mid-year estimates published by NRS (in this case 2015).
3. Further information on how this data was calculated is available in Annex Section A.7.
4. Data for Dumfries & Galloway, East Lothian, Highland and West Lothian is carried over from 2015.

Map 1: Percentage of population within 500 metres of a Derelict Site, 2016

6.3 The map shows the estimated percentage of each local authority's population that lives with 500 metres of derelict land in 2016, based on the results from Table 8.

6.4 30.3% of Scotland's population is estimated to live within 500 metres of a derelict site. A further 25.2% live between 500 metres to less than 1,000 metres of a derelict site. The remaining 44.5% live at least 1,000 metres from a derelict site.

6.5 People's proximity to derelict land varies significantly at council level. For example, 61.1% of Glasgow's population is estimated to live within 500 metres of a derelict site, whereas the figures for Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh are 26.6%, 31.9% and 13.0% respectively. Other councils with an above-average proportion of their population living close to derelict land include North Lanarkshire (73.4%), West Dunbartonshire (61.7%) and Inverclyde (54.0%). The population of the Orkney Islands is least likely to be living close to derelict land with only 0.6% within 500 metres of a derelict site.

6.6 Table 9 shows the estimated percentage of local authority population that lives within 500 metres of derelict land for the years 2010-2016. It also shows this proximity information for some long term derelict sites.

6.7 In 2010, an estimated 29.8% of Scotland's population lived within 500 metres of a derelict site. This has risen slightly to 30.3% in 2016.

6.8 Between 2010 and 2013, the percentage of Scotland's population that were estimated to live within 500 metres of a site that was derelict prior to 1991 fell from 13.3% to 12.2%. For the years 2013 to 2016 the percentage of Scotland's population that were estimated to live within 500 metres of a site that was derelict prior to 2001 fell from 16.4% to 15.6%. The only increases in proximity to pre-1991 and 2001 sites are usually caused either by the entry of "new" sites that have been derelict for a long time, or where old sites change type from vacant to derelict. New residential developments will also have a small effect. Those councils with the largest percentage of people within 500 metres of a site derelict before 2001 are West Dunbartonshire (40.5%), Glasgow City (40.0%), North Lanarkshire (34.6%) and Inverclyde (32.6%).

6.9 The decrease recorded in Orkney in 2014 is due to the removal of eight sites, seven for definitional reasons and one for retail development.

6.10 The increase recorded in Inverclyde in 2016 is due to the addition of three new sites all close to residential areas. The increase recorded in long term derelict sites in Inverclyde is due to changes made to site types for several older (pre 2001) sites from vacant to derelict as well as increases in the size of some older sites.

Table 9: Estimated percentage of local authority population living within 500 metres of Derelict Land, 2010-2016 ^1,2

1. Population figures used for each local authority are the latest mid-year estimates published by NRS (in this case 2015).
2. Further information on how this data was calculated is available in Annex Section A.8.
3. 2016 data for Dumfries & Galloway, East Lothian, Highland and West Lothian is carried over from 2015. See Annex E for details of council participation in different years.
4. The decrease recorded in Orkney in 2014 is due to the removal of eight sites, seven for definitional reasons and one for retail development.
5. The increase recorded in Inverclyde in 2016 is due to the addition of three new sites all close to residential areas. The increase recorded in long term derelict sites in Inverclyde is due to changes made to site types for several older (pre 2001) sites from vacant to derelict as well as increases in the size of some older sites.