The report outlines the council’s approach to managing and regenerating vacant and derelict land and property. It also outlines the Council’s wider ambitions for the region, including job creation, affordable housing, and economic development.

The committee will be asked to:

• Note the update on the delivery of the Vacant and Derelict Land and Property Strategy Action Plan.
• Agree on the addition of several projects to the council’s Vacant and Derelict Land Register for submission to the Scottish Government.
• The Council Plan 2023–2028 sets out a strong commitment to Dumfries and Galloway’s economic development, supporting our citizens, communities and being a responsive council. Delivery of the Vacant and Derelict Land and Property Strategy supports investment in the region, benefitting the local economy and residents.

By focusing development on sites with former uses, the council protects the region’s natural capital while continuing to support inward investment. Emphasis will be placed on addressing the higher density of vacant and derelict sites in areas of deprivation. Furthermore, it reinforces the council’s commitment to promoting community and health through the provision of high-quality, affordable housing that supports wellbeing.

This Vacant and Derelict Land and Property Strategy is intended to link closely to the core strategic plans of the council, including; the Regional Economic Strategy (RES), Local Housing Strategy (LHS), and Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP).

The council’s Local Development Plan 2 (LDP) also promotes the principle of reusing brownfield, vacant, and derelict land and buildings, instead of greenfield land, when identifying sites for development. Vacant and derelict land disproportionately affect communities in more deprived areas.

Back in June 2019, Dumfries and Galloway Council declared a climate emergency with the forward-thinking target of becoming a carbon-neutral region. A focus on land reuse could also play a major role in tackling climate change. Reusing brownfield land in preference to greenfield sites can help reduce the impact of development on the climate by reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for work and leisure.

The Low Carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) offers funding to transform long-term vacant and derelict sites. Applicants can bid for grants from an available £15 million from 2024 to 2025 as part of a two-stage application process. Dumfries and Galloway Council has submitted two stage 1 applications to the fund, with investment panel recommendations due in August 2023.

By prioritising the reuse of persistent vacant and derelict land, and protecting existing natural capital, the council can ensure that future investment goes into areas where it is most needed, supporting shared ambitions for place, community regeneration, town centres, and rural communities.

Councillor Ian Carruthers, chair of the Economy and Resources committee, said: “Our VDLPS supports the council’s core priorities of ‘Supporting our citizens, communities, and being a responsive council’, and ‘Safeguarding our future and supporting our communities’. Our region can benefit from the proactive identification and consideration of all funding options available to address vacant and derelict land in order to repurpose it into spaces and buildings that are vital to our local communities.”

Councillor David Inglis, vice chair, added: “It is important to work towards repurposing these sites so that new jobs can be created, and economic growth can be achieved. The potential redevelopment of these sites must be done in a manner that is beneficial to local communities, reducing poverty and inequality, and revitalising neighbourhoods. Our council’s VDLPS is central to achieving this goal. This includes creating jobs, creating affordable housing, and stimulating the local economy.”