Question reference: S6W-08458
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 11 May 2022
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 May 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on making it possible for communities to take ownership of unproductive land for projects that contribute to climate action, in light of the recommendation by Scotland's Climate Assembly.
Answer
Through the Scottish Land Fund, the Scottish Government provides ongoing support for communities to become more resilient and sustainable through the ownership and management of land and land assets. The Fund offers grants between £5,000 and £1 million to help communities take ownership of land and buildings and provides practical support to develop their aspirations.
In addition, the £50 million low carbon Vacant & Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) launched in 2021 will support innovative local approaches to tackling persistent vacant and derelict land and delivering new green infrastructure in support of our ambitions for a just transition to net zero.
With 20 successful projects announced from the first and second rounds of the £50 million low carbon VDLIP, applications are now open for the third round of funding.
It is available on a competitive basis to all Scottish local authorities and Clyde Gateway Urban Regeneration Company who are working with communities and other partners to bring forward suitable project proposals. The VDLIP complements the delivery of Place Based Investment Programme, helping to accelerate our ambitions around place, town centre action, 20 minute neighbourhoods, community regeneration, and community wealth building.
The draft National Planning F ramework 4 consultation closed at the end of March and responses are currently being analysed. It will have the status of development plan for planning decisions once adopted. The draft sets out six spatial principles to build a climate-conscious and nature-positive future. One of those principles is ‘compact growth’, this limits urban expansion where brownfield, vacant and derelict land and buildings can be used more efficiently. This prioritises the re-use of vacant and derelict land and redundant buildings. The draft also sets out that development proposals on greenfield sites should not be supported unless the site has been allocated for development or the proposal is explicitly supported by policies in the development plan, and there are no suitable brownfield alternatives.