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Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee 03 February 2016

03 Feb 2016 · S4 · Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee

Item of business

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Boyack, Sarah Lab Lothian Watch on SPTV

When I raised this issue in the stage 1 debate on the bill, the minister agreed to pursue it in advance of stage 3. I wrote to her to exchange ideas on how we might proceed on the matter, and I received her reply last week before the committee meeting. The issue has been under consideration and discussion for some time now, and Shelter Scotland, Scotland’s Towns Partnership, Rural Housing Scotland, the Scottish empty homes partnership, Community Land Scotland and the Development Trusts Association Scotland have all been enthusiastic about the measure. Compulsory sale orders are intended to be used as a last resort when all other approaches to bring back into use land or property that has been vacant have failed. Their introduction would strengthen the bill, particularly in relation to urban areas, but the orders could be used in rural areas as well. We first discussed compulsory sale orders in the debates on the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. They would give local authorities another option—another tool in the toolkit—to regenerate communities. Local authorities report that existing compulsory purchase order legislation is inappropriate for that purpose and that that is why they do not use it. Introducing compulsory sale orders would help councils and communities to bring long-term empty property and vacant and derelict land that blights communities back into use by giving local authorities a legal right to force such property and land on to the open market for sale with the purpose of securing its reuse. When we gathered evidence on the bill, we talked about the number of people, particularly in rural communities, who cannot get access to affordable housing. Throughout the country, 150,000 people are on housing waiting lists. Using compulsory sale orders would be one practical and effective way to begin to increase housing supply. Amendment 128 relates to vacant and derelict land. It can blight communities when land remains in that condition, sometimes for years. The amendment would not only create an incentive to develop such land but provide an effective sanction when it is not developed. I hope that the power would concentrate the minds of owners who sit on land waiting for a better price when the market rises while our communities and urban environment suffer. The amendment would create an additional opportunity for local authorities to deal with vacant and derelict land and property and would promote better economic and environmental conditions in our communities. It would provide a cost-effective, viable tool. Councils do not use current legislation and are unlikely to do so. That is the key point. I highlight the point that the Development Trusts Association Scotland made. Its strong view is that CSOs would complement measures in the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and that, like the general right to buy, their greatest impact might be to bring about a change of culture in the ownership and use of vacant and derelict land. CSOs would help to encourage discussion, negotiation and, I hope, voluntary agreements. Their use would be very much a last resort but they do not exist at the moment, and they are sorely needed. I look forward to the minister’s comments. Her letter was very helpful. She welcomed the references to the measure in the stage 1 debate. A consultation has been running in parallel with our discussions on the bill so, in deciding whether to press amendment 128, I am keen to know the plans of the minister and the Scottish Government for the measure and whether the minister has a timescale or vehicle for bringing it to the Parliament. I move amendment 128.

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Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee 03 February 2016

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