Councils to be given powers to force sale of abandoned buildings

Councils could be given powers to force the sale of neglected and derelict buildings and land, under new proposals being developed by the Scottish Land Commission.

Compulsory sale orders would enable local authorities to take control of longstanding neglected plots and put them up for public auction.

The aim is to bring disused properties back into use to stimulate local economies.

The Scottish Land Commmission, which was established as part of the Land Reform Act 2016, will put its proposals up for public consultation.

In 2016 there were 12,435 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land in Scotland, including buildings in town centres which had been bought by developers but left to deteriorate.

Chief executive of the Scottish Land Commission, Hamish Trench, said: “The Commission was established to help create a Scotland where everybody benefits from the ownership, management, and use of Scotland’s land and buildings.

“If we want Scotland’s land to become more productive, efficient and equitable we must consider tools and mechanisms such as CSOs to address the problem of vacant and derelict land.

“It is envisaged that CSOs would be used to tackle abandoned buildings and small plots of vacant and derelict land in town centres and communities.

“We are working with the Scottish Government to develop proposals for a new CSO power that can then be used as the basis for consultation.

“The proposals will provide a clear description of the purpose of powers, how they might operate, the conditions under which they could be triggered and fully comply with the European Convention of Human Rights.”