SCOTTISH VACANT AND DERELICT LAND SURVEY

GUIDANCE NOTES 2014

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4

1. WHAT ARE THE SURVEY REQUIREMENTS? ................................................. 5

2. RETURN PROCEDURE ..................................................................................... 6

3. WHAT SITES SHOULD BE INCLUDED? .......................................................... 7

3.1 VACANT LAND ............................................................................................ 7

3.2 Can open space be recorded as vacant land? .............................................. 7
3.3 Temporary storage, temporary greening, car parking, etc. ........................... 7
3.4 Removing sites from vacant land status ........................................................ 8
3.5 What if I am unsure on whether a site requires rehabilitation or not? ............ 8
3.6 VACANT LAND AND BUILDINGS ................................................................ 9
3.7 VACANT BUILDINGS ................................................................................... 9

3.8 DERELICT SITES ....................................................................................... 10

3.9 Types of rehabilitation and associated characteristics of dereliction. ......... 11
3.10 Changes to Operational Land .................................................................. 12
3.11 Removing from Derelict Land status ........................................................ 12
3.12 Derelict Land to Vacant Land ................................................................... 12
3.13 Derelict Land to Naturalisation ................................................................. 12
3.14 Development started but then abandoned? ............................................. 12
3.15 Should land that is zoned for industry be included in the survey? ........... 12

4. ADDING, AMENDING, AND REMOVING SITES ............................................. 13

4.1 When should a site be recorded in the SVDLS-A list? ................................ 13
4.2 When should a site be recorded in the SVDLS-B list? ................................ 13
4.3 How should a site size adjustment be recorded? ........................................ 13
4.4 Sites forming part of a newer, large site. ..................................................... 14
4.5 Sites that have been partially redeveloped. ................................................ 14
4.6 Stalled Sites ................................................................................................ 15
4.7 How should a SITETYPE change be recorded? ......................................... 15
4.8 How should a Naturalised site be removed? ............................................... 15
4.9 How should a site affected by a Definitional Change be removed? ............ 15
4.10 Deciding when a site should no longer be considered vacant/derelict. .... 16

5. VARIABLE NAMES FOR THE SVDLS-A DATA SET ...................................... 17

A1.1 COUNCODE - Council Code .................................................................. 18
A1.2 SITECODE - LA Reference Code for Site............................................... 18
A1.3 PREVCODE - Previous Local Authority Reference for Site .................... 18
A1.4 DBHIST - Database History .................................................................... 19
A1.5 INSPYY – Year of first Inspection ............................................................ 19
A2.1 OSGRID - Ordnance Survey Grid Reference ......................................... 19
A2.2 EAST, NORTH – East and North Coordinates ......................................... 19
A2.3 NAME, ADDRESS1, ADDRESS2, ADDRESS3 ....................................... 19
A2.4 SITESIZE ................................................................................................. 20
A2.5 INTRLOCN2 – Urban, Rural Indicator...................................................... 20

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 A3.1 SITETYPE - Vacant or Derelict ................................................................ 20
A4.1 OWNER 1 AND 2 – Site Ownership ........................................................ 21
A5.1 TIMEVD - Length of time the Site has been Vacant or Derelict .............. 21
A6.1 PREVUSE – Previous Use ...................................................................... 22
A6.2 DERCHAR – Derelict Characteristics ..................................................... 22
A6.3 DEVPOT – Development Potential .......................................................... 24

6. VARIABLE NAMES FOR THE SVDLS-B DATA SET ...................................... 25

B3.1 NEWUSE – Reason Site Removed from the Register ............................. 26
B3.2 MIXED – Mixed New Use ........................................................................ 27
B3.3 INUSEMM, INUSEYYYY – Date brought back into use or established.... 27
B3.5 FUND ....................................................................................................... 28

Annex A: Some examples of “vacant land and buildings”. ....................................... 29

Annex B: Land Removed for Definitional Reasons .................................................. 30
Annex C: Assigning Grid References to Sites .......................................................... 31

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INTRODUCTION

The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey (SVDLS) is a survey undertaken to
establish the extent and state of vacant and derelict land in Scotland. The survey has
been operating since 1988 and is managed by the Scottish Government
Communities Analytical Services. Most Councils submit data annually with the
Survey base date of 31st March. The data collected provides an invaluable source of
information relating to vacant and derelict sites and assists in reinforcing and
justifying national policy established to bring about the re-use and regeneration of
these land resources.

The links to the current year’s results and site register info are:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/Publications
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Planning/SVDLSSiteRegister

Summary of the Annual Process

1. Scottish Government Issue Guidance Note and Survey Templates.

Revised version of previous year’s survey supplied to local authorities along with an
updated guidance document. (April)

2. Local Authorities Undertake Survey

Database SVDLS-A is used to record new sites that have been identified and to
update any information on sites included from the previous survey. Database
SVDLS-B is used to record sites wholly or partially brought back into productive use
since the last SVDLS survey and removed from the main database. Sites should be
at least 0.1 ha in size to be included in either database.

3. Local Authorities Submit Data to the Scottish Government

Local Authorities validate and return databases SVDLS-A and SVDLS-B to the
Scottish Government by e-mail by the end of September. The Scottish Government
then check the data with the previous year’s survey to detect and correct any
mistakes. The data is processed to produce draft figures on the extent of vacant and
derelict land in Scotland for confirmation by the local authorities in December.

4. Local Authorities undertake Local Analysis

Local Authorities analyse the data for their own purposes – feeding into Local
Development Plans, Development Management, VDL Funding streams etc.
(September-December).

5. Annual Meeting of SVDLS Working Group

Local Authorities and the Scottish Government meet to discuss any issues arising
from the Survey and any changes that may be required (November-December).

6. Scottish Government publish the results

A summary of results from the Survey and the only national data source for Vacant
and Derelict Land are published on the Scottish Government website following
confirmation of the statistics by local authority’s. A national vacant and derelict site
register is published as well as summary statistics, along with maps to support
analysis. (February)

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1. WHAT ARE THE SURVEY REQUIREMENTS?

The SVDLS requires the Surveyor to:

1. Check & Amend All Existing Sites.

Survey all sites that were on the previous year’s Survey.
 A site visit will be necessary to identify physical characteristics of the site. (You
may find that keeping a photographic record is helpful).
 A desktop assessment will also be required to determine changes to ownership
or the planning status of the site, etc.

For each site which would remain on the register, record any relevant changes on
the SVDLS-A dataset.

2. Remove any sites which no longer meet the definitions of vacant or derelict land.
This would normally be picked up by a site visit and would cover whether a site is
partially or fully reused, a building is underway, the policy covering the site has
changed, the site has naturalised, or new information has come to light which would
disqualify the site from meeting the definitions i.e. a greenbelt site formally
considered to be contaminated is shown to be clear of contaminants. A check of
planning consents may direct you to possible development sites.

For each site, which would be removed from the register, record any relevant
changes on the SVDLS-B dataset.

3. Add New Sites identified since the last survey.

It is often difficult to identify new sites given that there is no requirement for land
owners to notify local authorities that land has fallen out of use. There are also wide
variations between the authorities in terms of size, geography, population and site
locations. In general, the following is a guide to methods that may be useful
depending on local factors:

 Take note of any new sites you see incidentally while travelling or when
surveying sites that were included in the previous year’s survey

 Visit sites that have been identified in other ways, such as via
o planning systems,
o demolition warrants,
o dangerous building notices,
o planning officers
o news articles or other publicity.
o Information from Housing Land Audits/Employment Land Audits.
o Requests for information from other departments/organisations:
Colleagues from e.g. regeneration departments can provide further
knowledge, and occasionally sources such as the Scottish Property
Network or the Corporate Address Gazetteer may prove useful.
o Building Control Database.
o Committee Reports.
o GIS / historic maps / aerial imagery.
o Community Councils.

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2. RETURN PROCEDURE

Each year, three files should be returned to the Scottish Government electronically
by each Local Authority.
 SVDLS-A should be used to record new sites and to update or amend
information on previously identified sites which still qualify as vacant or
derelict.
 SVDLS-B list should be used to record details of sites, wholly or in part, which
you are removing from the main SVDLS-A database because they no longer
qualify as vacant or derelict e.g. returned to productive use, naturalised, or
removed for definitional reasons.
 AREA SURVEYED – This file asks each authority how much land has been
surveyed for vacant land in settlements over and under 2,000 population.
Your council's most recent response will be issued. Please update this if
necessary. It will be assumed there is no change if this file is not returned.

When returning the amended data, it is advisable to submit the lists in a form
readable by Excel. In doing so, you can also utilise the automatic validation
spreadsheets which pick up coding and logic mistakes. If available, please also
attach GIS shapefiles.

As usual, all fields, except the address fields, must have an entry, even if it is only
the code for ‘Not Applicable’ or ‘Unknown’. Use of the not applicable and unknown
codes allows the checking process to run more efficiently, as it indicates that fields
have not been missed, and therefore follow-up contact is not required (as it may be
to confirm blank fields).

Please ensure that either the OS Grid or East/North references are unique. The
checking code at our end assumes that no two sites can contain the same grid
reference and rejects any duplicates.

Please return files by e-mail to the following address,

planstats@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

also copying in,

dorothy.watson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

If you have any queries with any of the points raised in these notes or require
guidance on completion of your returns then please telephone Dorothy Watson.

Dorothy Watson
Tel. 0131 244 0439

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3. WHAT SITES SHOULD BE INCLUDED?

3.1 VACANT LAND

In general terms vacant land is previously developed land, without physical
constraint, which the Planning Authority has indicated is currently available for
redevelopment. For the purposes of this survey, a site is categorised as
Vacant Land if it satisfies all the conditions below:

 It must be at least 0.1 hectares in size;

 It must be located within a settlement (as defined in the Development Plan);

 It must have previously been developed (this includes sites that have only had
basic ground preparatory works to create a development platform);

 It must not be in use (except as temporary open space) or include a useable

building and it must have a new use intended for it in the Plan (or via Planning
Permission).

 It must be ready for new development (i.e. there are no physical impediments
caused by a previous development which would prevent new development).

 It must have a new use intended for it in the Plan (or via Planning Permission).

3.2 Can open space be recorded as vacant land?

Open space can only be vacant land if it meets the criteria above. If the land
appears to be open space or another soft-end use and is designed or
protected as open space or another soft-end use (i.e. it is being used for the
purpose for which it is held in the Development Plan) then do not classify the
land as vacant. However, if the land has a clear alternative intended purpose
in the Development Plan (i.e. development for housing or a plot in an
industrial estate) then do classify it as vacant. (i.e. it meets all the criteria for
vacant land above).

If future development is proposed for previously undeveloped open space, the

site should not be included in the survey unless it has been prepared in
anticipation of this future development (i.e. vegetation has been cleared and a
covering surface material has been laid).

If there is any doubt as to whether or not a site is ‘vacant’ or ‘open space’,

give open space the benefit of the doubt and do not classify the site as
vacant.

3.3 Temporary storage, temporary greening, car parking, etc.

In some cases, vacant sites may have a temporary use on them, such as
temporary greening or over-spill car parking for a nearby attraction. If this kind
of short term use is not identified in the latest adopted local plan or council

7
 approved replacement, then the site should still be included in the survey.
However, if the land appears to be being used for a development use (as in
the NEWUSE categories for SVDLS-B), then even if it has a clear alternative
intended purpose do not classify the land as vacant.

3.4 Removing sites from vacant land status

The vast majority of Vacant Land sites are redeveloped (for whatever
purpose) and are therefore removed using the SVDLS-B dataset, however
should additional information come to light that indicates the existence of
constraints to development e.g. ground contamination, invasive species, etc
then the site can be reclassified as Derelict Land.

3.5 What if I am unsure on whether a site requires rehabilitation or not?

If possible, checking the history of a site may help make the decision
between vacant and derelict. In cases where the previous use is likely to
result in characteristics of dereliction (e.g. manufacturing works requiring the
removal of concrete foundations) then consider defining the site as derelict for
that reason.
If you are unsure whether a site should be classified as vacant or derelict (i.e.
you are unsure whether the site requires rehabilitation prior to new
development), give vacant land the benefit of the doubt and do not classify
the land as derelict.
This can always be changed in a future survey if new information comes to
light. See section 3.9 for further information on types of rehabilitation.

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3.6 VACANT LAND AND BUILDINGS

This classification should only be used if you are unable to identify a plot of vacant
land on its own without including some associated non-derelict buildings. (Of course,
if the buildings are derelict then the plot of land would be classed as derelict.)

 It must be at least 0.1 hectares in size;

 It must be located within a settlement (as defined in the Development Plan);

 It must have previously been developed (this includes sites that have only had
basic ground preparatory works to create a development platform);

 It must have a new use intended for it in the Plan (or via Planning Permission).

 It must not be in use (except as temporary open space).

In addition, only record a site as Vacant land and Buildings if one of the two
conditions below are satisfied.

 It the buildings are scheduled for demolition and the buildings are not currently
classified as derelict.
OR
 Demolition of the buildings is not anticipated (or the buildings’ future is unknown)
but the building(s) are a minor part of the site in relation to the vacant land
element, and the site boundary cannot be easily redrawn to omit the building.

It can be difficult to decide if sites that contain newly vacated buildings (such as
school buildings) should be included in the survey. The development potential of the
site might help with this decision. Certainly if the building has remained vacant for 5
years or more then the site should be recorded in the survey.

Some individual site examples are shown in Annex A.

3.7 VACANT BUILDINGS

The survey does not cover vacant buildings on their own (with no additional land
component).
There are often instances of old school buildings where the building takes up most of
the plot area. The school may be boarded up but not scheduled for demolition, in
which case this should not be included on the register.
Buildings with a ‘To Let’ or ‘For Sale’ sign should not be included in the survey until
such time that they acquire the characteristics of derelict buildings (i.e. they are in
such a state of disrepair that they are incapable of development without rehabilitation
or they have a previous un-remediated use that could constrain future development).
If this is the case then classify the site as derelict (SITETYPE code 11). Generally
speaking, most buildings with a ‘To Let’ or ‘For Sale’ sign will probably be ready to

9
re-occupy, in which case rehabilitation would not be needed before the building has
a new use (minor repairs do not classify as rehabilitation).

It may be useful for you to keep your own record of Vacant Buildings that you can
check for future surveys as a potential future supply of derelict sites.

3.8 DERELICT SITES

In general a site can be classed as derelict if it is on previously developed land,

which has a physical constraint caused by its previous use, which hampers its
redevelopment or naturalisation.

(This category combines what was previously separately defined as derelict land,
derelict buildings, derelict land and buildings and operational land defined as derelict
into one overarching Derelict Site category).

For the purposes of this survey, a Derelict Site can be located anywhere in Scotland
(both within and outwith settlements) but must satisfy all of the conditions below:

 It must be at least 0.1 hectares in size.

 It must have previously been developed (this includes sites that have only had
basic ground preparatory works to create a development platform).

 It must not be ready for new development without rehabilitation (i.e. there must
be an impediment, caused by a previous development, which would prevent
new development).

 It must not be in use (except as a temporary open space)

 It must not be a Scheduled Ancient Monument or Cemetery

 It must not have useable building(s) on it.

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3.9 Types of rehabilitation and associated characteristics of dereliction.

The survey seeks to identify what type of rehabilitation is required in order to bring
land back into productive use. The following paragraphs include examples of the
types of rehabilitation that the Survey would anticipate, and examples of some of the
commonly encountered characteristics of dereliction. Note that some of the
characteristics are not visible from a site visit and may require to be identified from
other sources such as historic maps, site investigation (SI) reports or other desk top
evidence.
Different types of rehabilitation that may typically be required as part of the process
of bringing derelict land back into a useable state include the following.

Category 1 - The demolition, levelling or clearing of fixed structures or

foundations

This includes any structures that require demolition, levelling or clearing such as:
 Sites with buildings that are not useable, including buildings that are fire
damaged, open to the elements (not wind or watertight), structurally unsound
or remain only as a shell (just the external wall(s) remain);
 Sites with foundations / piles / fuel tanks and other subterranean structures
 Sites with internal Roads / Parking Areas or other tarmac / asphalt / concrete
surfaces.

Note: This category may include abandoned sites, where development has ceased
abruptly such as stalled housing sites, where there is no developer activity and if any
of the above components are found on site e.g. abandoned foundations. It does not
include stalled sites where the developer has postponed or delayed development, or
where the site (or part of) is for sale. Stalled sites should only be included where the
site has been abandoned.

Category 2 - The remediation of land where the presence of chemicals or other

substances/elements/contaminants is removed from the site, capped or
treated.

This includes any contaminants both surface and subsurface which would require
treatment, removal of substances or capping such as:
 Removal of radioactive substances, asbestos or other dangerous materials
 Capping of Landfill or other worked sites with inert material
 Treatment of Japanese Knotweed or other invasive plant species. A guide to
the identification of invasive non-native plants can be found on the Scottish
Natural Heritage website (http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-
nature/safeguarding-biodiversity/nonnative-species/id-and-report/).

Category 3 - The clearing of large amounts of left over and inert material or
dealing with other impediments associated with former mine workings.

This includes the remediation of the following.

 Bings and other large amounts of rubble such as coal, slag, ash, whinstone,
stone, and other extracted materials.
 Grouting of voids created by minerals or other historic activity.

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3.10 Changes to Operational Land
If part of an operational site appears to meet the criteria for inclusion as
Derelict Land, then only that part of the site should be included. Where this is
not possible, assess whether priority is given to the operational use or to
rehabilitation of the site (within 5 years). If rehabilitation is not possible or
appropriate within 5 years, exclude the entire site from the survey.

3.11 Removing from Derelict Land status

The vast majority of Derelict sites are redeveloped (for whatever purpose) and
are therefore removed directly using the SVDLS-B dataset.

3.12 Derelict Land to Vacant Land

Some sites will have their impediments removed or treated (i.e. clearing of
rubble or decontamination of the site) and these sites will change status from
Derelict Land to Vacant Land which is recorded only in the SVDLS-A dataset.

3.13 Derelict Land to Naturalisation

Some rural Derelict Land sites will through time (or a concerted planting effort)
become naturalised and can be removed using the SVDLS-B dataset using
code 33 for ‘NEWUSE’. For sites where naturalisation or greening is
temporary, these may remain on the register. For example, where a site is
greened to improve the unsightliness or in anticipation of future development,
these.

3.14 Development started but then abandoned?

Where development has been started but abandoned, consideration should
be given to the likelihood of completion and the state of
dereliction/unsightliness in deciding whether the site should be classified as
vacant, derelict or neither. You should always revert to whether the site meets
the characteristics of vacant land, vacant land and buildings or derelict land
on the day of the survey.

3.15 Should land that is zoned for industry be included in the survey?
The designation of a site (whether it is zoned for development, or has
planning consent or not), does not affect whether it should be added or
removed from the survey – this will only depend only on whether the site has
the characteristics of vacant/derelict land.

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4. ADDING, AMENDING, AND REMOVING SITES

4.1 When should a site be recorded in the SVDLS-A list?

The SVDLS-A list should be used to:

 RECORD all sites that are Vacant or Derelict by;

 ADD the details of new sites identified as vacant or derelict

 AMEND any details of existing sites already included in the survey.

4.2 When should a site be recorded in the SVDLS-B list?

The SVDLS-B list should be used to:

 RECORD existing sites which appeared on the previous Survey but which have
subsequently been fully;
 redeveloped,
 naturalised, or
 need to be removed for definitional reasons.

 RECORD a site that is larger than 0.1ha*, and which formerly appeared on the
Survey as part of a larger site, but which has been;
 redeveloped,
 naturalised, or
 needs to be removed for definitional reasons.

 ADD the details of the New Use of the site and any funding received for its
redevelopment.

Note: Any changes to site size or site type due to improved measurement or
recording should be recorded on the original record in SVDLS-A , and therefore
would not be included in SVDLS-B.

* Any sites which become smaller than 0.1 ha should be deleted from the register.
However, it may be useful for you to record these changes for your own records.

4.3 How should a site size adjustment be recorded?

Enlarged Sites
If there is evidence that an area adjoining an existing site has fallen Vacant or
Derelict (with the same characteristics as the existing site) then the existing
site can be increased in size to include the additional area and retained on the
SDVLS-A list rather than adding an entirely new site. However, if the existing
site is distinct (either by site boundary, characteristic of dereliction, or another
reason) from the adjoining area then a new site with its own characteristics
should be added.

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 Reduced Sites
If there is new evidence that the area of an existing site has been over-
estimated (for example, because the base-map has changed) then the
existing site should be reduced in size and retained. There is no need to
create a new site on the SVDLS-B list.

In both cases these changes should only be recorded on the original SDVLS-
A record. A “comments” column has been added to the SVDLS–A dataset,
where an explanation can be given to highlight that these changes have been
made, and so avoid a follow up query.

4.4 Sites forming part of a newer, large site.

Where two or more sites become linked as a result of the addition of land
between them becoming vacant or derelict, the old sites should be recorded in
SVDLS-B, giving code 31 in the New Use section. The new composite site
should be recorded in SVDLS-A: site details, such as Ownership, Previous
Use etc. should be assigned as per the most significant part of the site. The
decision as to whether to describe the site as new or existing in the Database
History variable will usually be made on the basis of whether or not the area
of new land exceeds that formerly contained within the old sites.

4.5 Sites that have been partially redeveloped.

In the opposite scenario to that described in the paragraph above, it is
possible that when a site is partially brought back into use, the remaining
vacant and derelict part no longer forms a single, contiguous site. Where this
is the case, the resulting smaller sites should be described separately in
SVDLS-A, with new OS grid references and they should be described as
existing sites in the Database History section

 the largest section that remains Vacant or Derelict would retain the
original sitecode and remain on the SVDLS-A list (albeit at a reduce
overall size),

 the redeveloped section should be allocated a new sitecode and

added to the SVDLS- B list and include reference to the previous Local
Authority sitecode for the site (PREVCODE), and
 the split section(s) would be allocated new sitecode(s) but retained on
the SVDLS-A list and include reference to the PREVCODE with many of
the original details of the site retained.

 The old site (less the area of land brought back into actual use) should
be recorded in SVDLS-B, giving code 32 in the New Use section. Thus,
the whole former site will be given by two entries in SVDLS-B, one for the
area brought back into use, and the other for the area broken into smaller
sites, which remain in SVDLS-A.

14
4.6 Stalled Sites
These are sites where a developer has perhaps built a few units but then
progress has stopped and there is an area of land that is left vacant. In this
situation, if it is clear that the developer has left the site and there is no plan to
return, then the remaining area of land can be included in the survey. (see
Category 1 in section 3.9)

4.7 How should a SITETYPE change be recorded?

Sites that have changed from Derelict to Vacant

Where Derelict sites have benefited from remediation works (see examples in
section 3.9) to such an extent that they now meet the criteria of Vacant Land
rather than Derelict Land the SITETYPE should be changed to code 21 –
Vacant Land and the site should continue to be recorded on SDVLS-A list.

Sites that changed from Vacant to Derelict

Where Vacant sites now meet the criteria of Derelict Land (due, for example,
to the growth of invasive plant species or the discovery of hitherto unknown
contamination or building remains) then the SITETYPE should be changed to
code 11 – Derelict and the site should continue to be recorded on SDVLS-A
list.

4.8 How should a Naturalised site be removed?

Where a site or part of a site needs to be removed because it has reverted to
a natural state, the NEWUSE section should be changed to Code 33 –
Naturalised and the site should be entered into the SVDLS-B list in the same
way as sites brought back into productive use, or partly brought back into
productive use. For sites where naturalisation or greening is temporary, these
may remain on the register. For example, where a site is greened to improve
the unsightliness or in anticipation of future development.

4.9 How should a site affected by a Definitional Change be removed?

Where a site or part of a site needs to be removed for definitional reasons the
NEWUSE section should be changed to Code 34 – Land taken out of the
Survey for Definitional Reasons and the site should be entered into the
SVDLS-B list in the same way as sites brought back into productive use, or
partly brought back into productive use.

Land removed for definitional reasons generally refers to land which no longer
qualifies for inclusion in the Survey, for example because:
 the site already functions as open space and this land use is now
reflected in the new Plan or by Planning Permission;
 new information has come to light which would mean that it no longer
meets the criteria of Vacant or Derelict Land i.e. a presumption about
ground contaminants from a previous use has been shown to be
incorrect.
For further guidance on definitional changes see Annex B.

15
4.10 Deciding when a site should no longer be considered vacant/derelict.
A site should no longer be considered vacant or derelict and should be
removed from database SVDLS-A if there is evidence that physical
development is underway. If, however, a site is in temporary use but is
expected to revert to vacant or derelict status before the next survey it should
not be deleted.

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5. VARIABLE NAMES FOR THE SVDLS-A DATA SET

Below is a list of all the variable names for which data should be entered for sites in
the SVDLS-A data set.

Item Field Name Field Label Description Page

Local Authority Coding & Site History

A1.1 Council Code COUNCODE Numeric 18
A1.2 LA Reference for Site SITECODE Character 18
A1.3 Previous LA Reference1 PREVCODE Character 18
A1.4 Database History DBHIST Numeric 19
A1.5 Year of first Inspection INSPYY Numeric 19

Site Location Details

A2.1 OS Grid Reference2 OSGRID Character 19
A2.2 East Coordinate2 EAST Numeric 19
North Coordinate2 NORTH Numeric 19
A2.3 Name NAME Character 19
Address 1 ADDRESS1 Character 19
Address 2 ADDRESS2 Character 19
Address 3 ADDRESS3 Character 19
Numeric
20
A2.4 Site Size SITESIZE (2 decimal places)
A2.5 Intrusiveness – location INTRLOCN2 Numeric 20

Vacant or Derelict Status

A3.1 Site Type (Vacant or Derelict) SITETYPE Numeric 20

Site Ownership
A4.1 Owner 1 OWNER1 Numeric 21
Owner 2 OWNER2 Numeric 21

Time on the register

A5.1 Length of time Vacant/Derelict TIMEVD Numeric 21

Previous Use and Characteristics of Dereliction

A6.1 Previous Use PREVUSE Numeric 22
A6.2 Derelict Characteristics DERCHAR Numeric 23
A6.3 Developability DEVPOT Numeric 24

All fields, except the address fields, must have an entry, even if it is only the code for
‘Not Applicable’ or ‘Unknown’.

1
PREVCODE can be left blank if there has been no change in the LA reference for the site.
2
It is acceptable to give either the OS Grid Reference or the East and North coordinates. Both are
not required.

17
CODES

LOCAL AUTHORITY CODING & SITE HISTORY

A1.1 COUNCODE - Council Code

Enter the code for your council

Aberdeen City 100 Inverclyde 280

Aberdeenshire 110 Loch Lomond & The Trossachs 15
Angus 120 Midlothian 290
Argyll & Bute 130 Moray 300
Clackmannanshire 150 North Ayrshire 310
Dumfries & Galloway 170 North Lanarkshire 320
Dundee City 180 Orkney Islands 330
East Ayrshire 190 Perth & Kinross 340
East Dunbartonshire 200 Renfrewshire 350
East Lothian 210 Scottish Borders 355
East Renfrewshire 220 Shetland Islands 360
Edinburgh, City of 230 South Ayrshire 370
Eilean Siar 235 South Lanarkshire 380
Falkirk 240 Stirling 390
Fife 250 West Dunbartonshire 395
Glasgow City 260 West Lothian 400
Highland 270

A1.2 SITECODE - LA Reference Code for Site

Each site should be allocated a reference code, which will uniquely identify
the site within the authority. This can be composed of up to 9 characters, and
may use existing reference numbers from previous surveys (consistency of
referencing between surveys is desirable). This can be the site reference that
is used in your own audit processes.

New sites should be given codes that have NOT previously been used to refer
to other sites.

A1.3 PREVCODE - Previous Local Authority Reference for Site

Enter any previous reference for the site. Please leave PREVCODE blank if
there has been no change in the LA reference for the site.

For use when a site is partially developed and it is not possible to retain the
original site reference for example if a partial redevelopment of a site would
split it into three or more independent sections. For further explanation see
section 4.5 Sites which have been broken into several smaller ones.

18
A1.4 DBHIST - Database History

‘New’ records comprise those which are completely new and relate to sites
which have not been included in the survey in any prior form. Sites which
have been redefined, reclaimed from derelict to vacant status or consist of a
residual part of a site which has been partly brought back into use, should not
be coded as ‘new’. However, it is possible that a site can be classed as “new”
when it had been on the register several years previously, having been re-
claimed in the interim and then fallen out of use again.

Enter in this field the status of the particular site with reference to the previous
SVDLS. Code the field as follows:

New record (no previous history 1

Existing record 2

This main use of this variable is during quality assurance processes.

A1.5 INSPYY – Year of first Inspection

Enter year of first inclusion in SVDLS. The format should be YYYY e.g. 2013.
It is possible that the value for INSPYY is different from the point in time
when a site became vacant/derelict. The variable TIMEVD will capture the
addtional information for when the site first became vacant.

A2.1 OSGRID - Ordnance Survey Grid Reference

A2.2 EAST, NORTH – East and North Coordinates

If a GIS package is used to manage the survey please provide the Easting
and Northing of the site centroid (each to 6 digits) and leave the OSGRID
column blank. The associated Shapefiles should be submitted with the
SDVLS-A and SVDLS-B lists. Please ensure that grid references are unique
to each site.

Alternatively, if a GIS utility is not available then please provide the Ordnance
Survey Grid Reference for the centroid of the site to the nearest 10m. Include
the 100km letters e.g. NT09767461.

It is acceptable to give either the OS Grid Reference or the East and North
coordinates. Both are not required.

Further information on how to record a site centroid with some case examples
is available in Annex C.

A2.3 NAME, ADDRESS1, ADDRESS2, ADDRESS3

The site name MUST be entered and it should be in capital letters. The
address must also be entered and should be that by which the site is
commonly known or will be known. Common abbreviations are acceptable
e.g. ST for street.
If NO site name or address is known then "NIL" can be used instead.

19
A2.4 SITESIZE

Indicate the site size, in hectares, to two decimal places.

When defining the boundary of a large site that may have different projected
end uses it may be best practice to define the largest extent as one site.
Gradually as the site is taken up it can be split into different sites as required.

A2.5 INTRLOCN2 – Urban, Rural Indicator

Indicate the location of the site. Note that, by definition, only derelict sites
can be located within the Countryside.
Site in settlement with population equal to or over 2,000 1
Site in settlement with population under 2,000 2
Site in countryside 3

The website of the National Records of Scotland (NRS), includes a list of all
Scottish settlements with populations greater than 500, and their size. This
list can be used to identify settlements with populations greater than 2,000. It
can be viewed at:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/population/estimates/special-
area/settlements-localities/index.html

Shapefiles and maps of settlements are also provided

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/geography/geo-prods/settlements-and-
localities-dataset.html

For further assistance telephone 0131 334 0380 or email

geographycustomerservices@gro-scotland.gsi.gov.uk

A3.1 SITETYPE - Vacant or Derelict

If necessary, please consult the guidance notes in Section 3 before

completing this question.

Derelict 11
Vacant Land 21
Vacant Land and Buildings 22

20
A4.1 OWNER 1 AND 2 – Site Ownership

Enter the details of the current owner or last known owner. Where sites have
two or more owners please enter the appropriate codes for the predominant
two owners. If only one owner then please enter 998 in the second column
which is labelled ‘Owner 2’.

Note that 998 should never be entered in ‘Owner 1’ and that 999 should not
be entered in ‘Owner 2’ if an owner has been specified in ‘Owner 1’.

Public Private
Scottish Government 102 Private Steel 401
Property Services Agency 103 Private Gas 402
Defence 104 Private Telecommunications 403
Health Boards 105 Scottish Power 404
Local Authority 106 Hydro Electric 405
Other National/Local Government 110 Harbour Trust 407
Royal Mail/Post Office 203 Network Rail/ Rail Franchise Holder 409
Public Port Authority 204 Private Coal Company 410
British Waterways 205 Private Port Company 411
Water Authority 206 Other Private 420
Coal Authority 207
Other Nationalised Industry or 220
Statutory undertakers Unknown/Not Applicable
Scottish Enterprise 301 Unknown Public 100
Highlands and Islands Enterprise 302 Unknown Private 400
Housing Association 303 Not applicable (i.e. only one owner) 998
Urban Regeneration Company 304 Ownership unknown 999
Other non-Crown 310

A5.1 TIMEVD - Length of time the Site has been Vacant or Derelict

Enter the appropriate code to show the period when the site became
vacant/derelict:

1980 or earlier 1 2007 10

1981-1985 2 2008 11
1986-1990 3 2009 12
1991-1995 4 2010 13
1996-2000 5 2011 14
2001-2004 6 2012 15
2005 7 2013 16
2006 8 2014 17

Unknown 9

21
A6.1 PREVUSE – Previous Use

Indicate the predominant use made of the site before it became

vacant/derelict. For vacant land, this field is used to confirm that the site is
‘brownfield’. For derelict land, this field is used to establish the use that
resulted in dereliction – this may not necessarily be the last use of the site.

Agriculture Mineral Activity

Animal husbandry 11 Coal 101
Allotments 12 Crushed rock 102
Other 19 Sand/Gravel 103
Shale 104
Forestry/Woodland Fireclay 105
Sawmill 21 Limestone 106
Other 29 Other 109

Community & Health Offices 110

Hospital 31
Sewage Works 32 Residential
Refuse Tip 33 Housing 121
Recycling 34 Hotels 122
Other 39 Other (incl. hostels) 129

Defence Retailing 130

Munitions 41
Oil Storage 42 Storage
Airfields 43 Oil 141
Docks 44 Gas 142
Ranges 45 Other Chemicals 143
Other 49 Other 149

Education 50 Transport
Rail 151
Passive Open Space 60 Vehicle Parking 152
Other 159
Recreation & Leisure (excluding Passive
Open Space)
Swimming Pool 71 Utility Services 160
Ice Rink 72
Stadium 73 Wholesale Distribution 170
Formal open space 74
Commercial Leisure (cinema, pub etc) 75 Business Class 180
Other 79
Nature Conservation 190
Manufacturing
Chemical products 81 Green/Environmental
Metal Works 82 Renewable Energy 231
Ship Building 83 Other 239
Gas 84
Paper 85 Other 888
Brickworks 86 Unknown 999
Other 89

Other general industry excluding

manufacturing 90

22
A6.2 DERCHAR – Derelict Characteristics

For all sites classified as derelict, indicate what characteristics the sites
currently have that necessitates some form of rehabilitation prior to any new
development or use.

Please note any site classified as vacant, (site type code 21 or 22) should
automatically have code 99 (non-applicable) recorded. Code 99 should also
be used for any derelict site that has an ‘unknown’ answer.

Characteristics of Derelict Land can include –

Category 1
The remains of buildings (either whole or partial) in or on the land, associated
with the previous use(s).

Category 2
The possible presence of left-over chemicals or other substances/elements
from a previous use(s) which may be in or on the land (this can include
Japanese Knotweed3).

Category 3
Large amounts of left over rubble, stone deposits and other abandoned
physical material typically associated with former mineral works, mines etc.

Category 1 Only 1
Category 2 Only 2
.Category 3 Only 3

Category 1 and 2 Only 4

Category 1 and 3 Only 5
Category 2 and 3 Only 6

All 3 Categories 7

Unknown/Not Applicable 99

3
Japanese Knotweed also occurs in open spaces, fields, parks etc. where it will not prevent the
beneficial use of the land for its intended purpose. In this case it would be considered as an invasive
weed rather than an impediment to the use of the land and would not make the land derelict.

23
A6.3 DEVPOT – Development Potential

This categorisation is intended to combine factual appreciation of the

recorded information and planning status of a site, with a considered view of
the likelihood of its development for either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ end use (to be
appraised and updated as required at the time of the Survey each year).

Developable - Short Term 1

 There is an expectation of development within the next five years.
 Land with current Planning permission (full planning permission, matters
specified in conditions, or planning permission in principle) has been granted
or is likely to be granted within the next year.
 There is local authority and other agency interest in the development of the
site.
 It should require minimal funding, or already have funding committed, to
realise development.
 There is current developer interest in the site

Developable - Medium Term 2

 There is an expectation of development between five and ten years
 Land on an effective or marketable land supply
 May have planning permission in principle, or an expectation that this will be
granted.

Developable - Undetermined 3
 Unlikely to be developed for at least 10 years
 Land on non-effective or potentially marketable land supply
 Likely that significant funding would be required to realise development.

Uneconomic to Develop/Soft End Use 4

 Where it is known excessive funding would likely be required to bring the site
to a developable state
 A site that has been identified for long term ‘soft end’ use in the current
development plan (for example, open space, agriculture, woodland planting,
landscaping etc.). Sites with temporary soft end uses should NOT be coded
here.
 Sites with statutory constraints on development.

Unknown (uncertain/insufficient information) 9

 Land with no planning consent, which is not on a land supply and/or not
obviously suitable for soft end use.
 Typically new sites where there is insufficient information to determine
potential for development.

24
6. VARIABLE NAMES FOR THE SVDLS-B DATA SET

Below is a list of all the variable names for which data should be entered for sites in
the SVDLS-B data set.

Item Field Name Field Label Description Page

Local Authority Coding & Site History

B1.1 Council Code COUNCODE Numeric 18
B1.2 LA Reference for Site SITECODE Character 18
B1.3 Previous LA Reference for Site PREVCODE Character 18

Site Location Details

B2.1 OS Grid Reference OSGRID Character 19
B2.2 East Co-ordinate EAST Numeric 19
North Co-ordinate NORTH Numeric 19
B2.3 Area Brought back into Use or SITESIZE Numeric (2 decimal 20
Reclaimed places)

New Use and Funding

B3.1 New Use NEWUSE Numeric 26
B3.2 Mixed New Use MIXED Numeric 27
B3.3 Month brought back into use INUSEMM Numeric 27
B3.4 Year brought into use INUSEYY Numeric 27
B3.5 Funding source used FUND Numeric 28

The information for many of these categories is drawn directly across from the
SVDLS-A list. The only completely new entries are those in the New Use and
Funding category. These are described below:

25
B3.1 NEWUSE – Reason Site Removed from the Register

There may be more than one new use for a single site so please indicate the
predominant new use for the site.

Agriculture 1
Community Health 3
Defence 4
Education 5
Passive Open Space 6
Recreation and Leisure 7
Manufacturing 8
Other General Industrial 9
Mineral Activity 10
Offices 11
Residential 12
Retailing 13
Storage 14
Transport 15
Utility Services 16
Wholesale Distribution 17
Business Class 18

Community-Based Woodland 20
Non-Community-Based Woodland 21
Green/Environmental 23
Reclaimed to vacant land pending new use 25
Sites amalgamated into a single, larger site 31
Site split into smaller ones 32
Sites which have become Naturalised 33
Land taken out of survey for Definitional Reasons 34

Other 88
Unknown 99

Although codes 31 and 32 above do not strictly indicate that a particular site
has been removed from the register they are helpful during the quality
assurance process to explain differences in data from one year to the next.

26
B3.2 MIXED – Mixed New Use

A site is classed as mixed if the new use falls into two or more different land
use categories as listed here:

Land Use Category NEWUSE Code (see B3.1)

1 Residential 12
2 Business & Industry 8, 9, 14, 17, 18
3 Offices/Retailing 11, 13
4 Community/Health/Education 3, 5
5 Recreation/Leisure 7
6 Other (defence, utility services, transport) 4, 15, 16, 88
7 Site specifically categorised as ‘Mixed Use’

n/a Preferred Uses not in a Land Use Category 1, 6, 10, 19, 20, 21, 98, 99

For example, a site with new uses Residential (NEWUSE = 12) and Retailing
(NEWUSE = 13) is classed as mixed because it falls into land use categories
1 and 3.
Whereas a site with new uses Transport (NEWUSE = 15) and Utility Services
(NEWUSE = 16) is not classed as mixed because these uses are both in land
use category 6.
A site with new uses Residential (12) and Passive Open Space(6) would not
be classed as mixed since Passive Open Space has not been assigned to a
land use category.

Please indicate whether or not the new use of the site was mixed.

Yes 1
No/Not known/Not applicable 2

B3.3 INUSEMM, INUSEYYYY – Date brought back into use or established

B3.4
The format used for dates should be MM YYYY.
Please note that if land is taken off the survey for definitional reasons then
please just enter the date of the current survey. The site will be removed from
all historical data.

27
B3.5 FUND

Indicate the development funding source used to bring the site back into
productive use

Public funding can include money used to prepare the land for development,
e.g. decontamination. It may also include land that is sold by a public sector
organisation at less than the market value, in order to encourage
development.

Public only 1
Private only 2
Mixed (public + private) 3
None / Not applicable 8
Unknown 9

If NEWUSE equals 33 or 34 (land removed for definitional reasons or due to

naturalisation) then FUNDING must equal None/Not Applicable (8).

28
Annex A: Some examples of “vacant land and buildings”.

For both the examples shown here there is a larger area of vacant land relative to
the buildings. In both cases neither of the buildings are classed as derelict and
because these buildings are a minor part of the site relative to the vacant land then
the site can be classed as “vacant land and buildings”. This avoids chopping the site
up into smaller vacant land sections and developers can see the whole site as a
single site with potential for development.

Example 1

Example 2

29
Annex B: Land Removed for Definitional Reasons

Occasionally land may need to be removed from the survey due to changes in
definition.

DO USE CODE 34 when –

1. Later evidence reveals that an existing site on SVDLS-A should not be on the
survey .

2. A previous digitising error needs to be corrected. This would be when an existing

site has reduced in overall size (by at least 0.1 hectares) purely due to a re-
measurement of its boundaries. If respondents are using a new and more accurate
way of drawing site boundaries (such as digitising for GIS or other software) then
any site that has reduced in size by at least 0.1 hectares should have an entry for
this ‘left-over’ placed in the SVDLS-B using code 34. There is no code to indicate
where sites have increased in size – since they do not appear in the B dataset –
these changes are picked up through manual checks.

3. Land has been reclassified in the local plan and is now no longer viewed as
vacant or derelict. If for example vacant land is now viewed as passive open space,
Respondents should still use code 34 when removing the site. Using code 6 (for
passive open space) would suggest that the land had been reclaimed that year
whereas in fact nothing had happened to it.

DO NOT USE CODE 34 when –

1. A site has become naturalised (i.e. it appears to have blended back (through a
degree of vegetation) into the surrounding landscape. If this is the case then code 33
(sites which have become naturalised) should be used instead.

2. A derelict site in the countryside is reclaimed to vacant land. Although the

definition of the SVDLS does not cover vacant land situated in the countryside, any
such site (which was formerly derelict) should not be removed for definitional
reasons. Instead, should respondents find a derelict site in the countryside that has
become vacant since the previous survey, they should remove the site entirely from
the SVDLS-A and place it in the SVDLS-B using code 25 (Reclaimed to Vacant land
pending new use).

3. There is a degree of doubt over whether or not a site should be removed for
definitional reasons. If a respondent is unsure (and the removal of the site would not
be covered by one of the reasons listed above) then it is better to err on the side of
caution and leave the site in the SVDLS-A.

30
Annex C: Assigning Grid References to Sites

Please provide the Ordnance Survey Grid Reference for the centroid of the site to
the nearest 10m. Include the 100km letters e.g. NT09767461. No two sites can
contain the same OS grid reference. Please ensure that OS Grid references are
unique to each site. Alternatively if a GIS package is used to manage the survey
please provide both the Easting and Northing of the site centroid (each to 6 digits)
and leave the OSGRID column blank. The site centroid should be as close as
possible to a centre point of the site.

Splitting a site and unusual cases

Site example 1 below outlines to respondents how to record site centroids when a
site has been partially brought back into use. There may also be some cases where
a site centroid does not appear to fall within a site (for example Horseshoe shaped
sites). Respondents should ensure that every site grid reference given actually falls
within the site’s boundary. Site examples 2, 3 and 4 highlight best practice for
recording a grid reference in different cases.

Site 1 – Splitting a site brought partially back into use

i) Site Before Split (Derelict land)

ii) Portion of site is reclaimed to a new use (shaded below)

Part of site brought back into use.

X

iii) 2 new grid references are assigned (1 each for the reclaimed and the remaining
part)

A new grid reference for the part of

X X thesite brought back into use is assigned
in the SVDLS-B data set.

The site centroid information supplied for the site will be now have shifted to the left
slightly (as part of the site has been reclaimed). The remaining part of the site in the
SVDLS-A data set should now have a new grid reference supplied to reflect the
change in the site’s boundaries, and the reclaimed and remaining areas should be
recorded in the B dataset.

31
Site 2 – Abandoned ship works, now derelict

Water

X Former ship works

In Site 2, the centroid may be calculated to fall outwith the site’s boundaries.

In such cases respondents should move the grid reference (X) to ensure that it falls
within the site. This should be a point within the site boundary that is as close to the
original site centroid as possible.

Site 3 – Former Railway line, now derelict

FINISH

START X

Site 3 consists of a long strip. This is most common when dealing with former railway
lines or abandoned roads. When entering data for these types of site, respondents
should still look for a point mid-way along the site boundary to record the grid
reference (X) . They should not use a start or end point of the site boundary to
record a grid reference.

32
Site 4 – Former Factory building with car park, now derelict

Building

Car Park

Site 4 consists of a former factory building, now derelict, with an ex-car park
attached. Although the building is the distinguishing part of the site, the site centroid
(X) should still be used. In the above case, the building should not be recorded as
the grid reference for the site as this would differ from the centroid of the overall site.
The correct grid reference for the above site centroid will fall somewhere within the
car park. As a rule, when recording grid references for sites, respondents should
ignore any distinguishing features and always use the site centroid.

33