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Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2000

4 Contamination of vacant and derelict land

4.1 A total of 44 per cent of all recorded vacant and derelict land is of unknown contamination status. The contamination status of 39 per cent of derelict land was unknown, equating to 25 per cent of all vacant and derelict land, as shown in Table 7. It should be remembered that under the definitions used in the survey, the presence of contamination defines a site as derelict rather than vacant. 575 derelict sites covering 3,545 hectares, were either suspected or known to be contaminated. The survey draws on existing sources of data regarding contamination and does not specifically require the testing of sites. The term ‘contamination’ used in the survey differs from the statutory definition in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and refers simply to the presence or absence of a number of potential contaminants.

Table 7: Contamination status of vacant and derelict land¹, 2000²

1 Figures may not sum due to rounding
2 See Annex Table D for details of council participation in different years
3 Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentage values

4.2 For contaminated derelict land, where the contaminant is known, coal is the most common contaminant, affecting 539 hectares (44 per cent) of known contaminated derelict land. The other main known contaminant is asbestos, which affects 235 hectares (19 per cent). Together, these two contaminants affect 12 per cent of all derelict land, irrespective of contamination status. Table 8 shows the main contaminant types and the number and area of derelict sites they are known to affect.

Table 8: Contaminated land, by contamination type¹, 2000²

1 Figures may not sum due to rounding
2 See Annex Table D for details of council participation in different years
3 Unknown values are excluded from the calculation of percentage values

4.3 Table 9 shows land known to be contaminated categorised by Local Enterprise Company. Fife Enterprise area has 377 hectares of known contaminated land, representing 23 per cent of the national total. Lanarkshire Development Agency area has 243 hectares of known contaminated land, representing 15 per cent of the national total, and Enterprise Ayrshire area has 205 hectares, representing 13 per cent of the national total. Together, these three Local Enterprise Company areas contain over half of the known contaminated derelict land in Scotland.

Table 9: Known contaminated land¹ by Local Enterprise Company, 2000²

1 Figures may not sum due to rounding
2 See Annex Table D for details of council participation in different years

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