We are working to attract inward economic investment into Scotland’s towns, cities and communities that will deliver housing, improve public service delivery, economic benefits and contribute to Scotland’s net zero carbon target.
Selling surplus public sector properties and land present major opportunities.
By working closely with key stakeholders to identify and maximise these opportunities, there is the potential to add value and enable a range of public and private sector objectives to be met.
This approach requires a strong emphasis on preparing sites prior to marketing to help accelerate the whole disposals process. It also requires the right engagement with the private sector and with communities.
Over the last couple of years, our work has secured £150m back to the public sector from the sale of surplus properties.
A number of these surplus sites are being developed for housing and we estimate that over 3,000 homes (which includes provision for affordable housing) will be delivered on former NHS and college sites sold as part of the disposals programme.
Law Hospital Case Study
Law Hospital in Carluke, South Lanarkshire became surplus to requirements when NHS Lanarkshire moved its remaining clinical services to the new general hospital at Wishaw in 2001.
Winchburgh Case Study
Winchburgh Developments Ltd had planning consent to build over 4,000 homes on a site in West Lothian. However, no more than 550 homes could be built unless a solution for the funding of a new nondenominational secondary school could be found.
Inverness College Case Study
In 2015, the new, state-of-the-art £50m Inverness College opened on the outskirts of the city. Moving to the new campus meant that all the old college buildings were surplus to requirement.
Met Tower Case Study
Following the construction and completion of the new City of Glasgow College Campus building on Cathedral Street in Glasgow’s city centre, the College’s previous home, the iconic 14-storey Met Tower building, became surplus to requirements.