7.50 At March 1999, there were estimated to be nearly 1,570ha of vacant and/or derelict land in the City, almost 9% of Glasgow’s total land area and the greatest concentration of vacant/derelict land in any Scottish local authority (Figures 7.6 and 7.7). The presence of so much vacant/derelict land generates a negative image of the City, for both residents and visitors, and adversely affects environmentally sensitive activities such as tourism and inward investment. Vacant and derelict land is indicative of a damaged environment that may be hazardous to people, animals and plant life. It is also generally less attractive to developers than greenfield sites, despite being more sustainable in terms of transportation, energy conservation and the use of finite land resources. It does, however, represent a significant development opportunity if appropriately remediated and marketed.
Figure 7.6 : Vacant and Derelict Land
7.51 Despite the efforts of joint reclamation initiatives, such as the Brownfield Housing Sites Initiative, there is still a problem with long-term vacant/derelict land. Over 50% of the City’s vacant and derelict land has been in this condition since 1985, or before. The Council is tackling the problem of vacant and derelict land on a number of fronts. The Scottish Enterprise Glasgow (SEG) led Brownfield Sites for Housing Initiative (BSHI), has operated since 1995, with a ring-fenced annual budget of £3m. In the four years up to June 1999, 27 sites, with a total area of 47.67ha and a capacity of over 1,550 houses, were treated. House building is either complete or underway on all of these sites. In addition, remediation has started on a further 11 sites, with an area of 28.32ha and a capacity of 1,147 houses.
Figure 7.7 : Vacant and Derelict Land by Local Authority 1999
7.52 The first phase of the Strategic Business and Industrial Sites Initiative, launched in 1997, aimed to deliver 120 hectares of fully serviced industrial and business sites and floorspace. In delivering these sites, significant amounts of vacant and industrial land remediation has taken place. The Cambuslang Investment Park for example included the decontamination and servicing of 19ha of land, of which 12.2ha had been developed by August 1999.
