Scotland’s community land story Linsay Chalmers

www.communitylandscotland.org.uk Background The early 1900s saw state purchases of land and the Glendale Estate and Stornoway buyouts The next wave was in the 1990s with the Assynt Crofters buyouts and the Eigg and Knoydart buyouts They established what could be achieved when communities own land In 1999 the Scottish Parliament was created with powers over land laws In 2001, the first Scottish Land Fund, which was originally funded by the Big Lottery, was established 2003 saw the passing of the Land Reform Act 2003, establishing two types of Community Right to Buy 2010 - Community Land Scotland was set up by 17 founder members – we now have 85 members www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

What is a community landowner? Must have a geographical membership and membership must be open Directors are elected They must own land – scale varies from a couple of housing plots to 93,000 acres They focus on revitalising their place – based on community consultation and business planning www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

Facts and figures 562,000 acres in community landownership 400+ communities own land 75% of people in the Western Isles live on community owned land Over 220 communities currently in the Scottish Land Fund pipeline www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

Affordable housing; renewable energy; hotels, bunkhouses and campsites; woodland walks; nature reserves and ranger services; forest schools; native woodland development; woodland crofts; food growing and orchards; harbours and pontoons; business centres, art centres and cafes; whale listening station, dark sky parks and spaceports! www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

A study in 2014 of 12 members of Community Land Scotland that had owned land for over 5 years showed: Turnover on their estates was up by 254% (£6.1M) Direct employment was up 368% (103 fte) and contribution to the local economy up 434% (£2.5M) Investment to date was £34 million with £25 million of investment in the pipeline 151 houses had been upgraded; six new homes had been built directly by community owners and 33 homes built in partnership with a housing provider and 141 land plots had been made available for self-build or shared equity 22 new or refurbished facilities such as business centres built 39km of paths to access local environment built or upgraded www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

Routes to ownership By negotiation with the landowner Asset transfer such as the CATS scheme Community Right to Buy Coming up: Community Right to Buy abandoned, neglected and detrimental land (2018) Community Right to Buy for sustainable development (2019) Compulsory Sale Orders www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

www.communitylandscotland.org.uk

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION www.communitylandscotland.org.uk