The Scottish Land Commission has started drawing up proposals for new Compulsory Sale Order (CSO) powers.

CSOs would provide a new legal mechanism for local authorities to require abandoned buildings or small plots of land, that have been derelict for an undue period of time, to be sold by public auction to the highest bidder.

With a total of 12,435 hectares of derelict and urban vacant land recorded in Scotland in 2016, the Commission wants to explore different approaches for addressing the problem of vacant and derelict land and bringing it back into productive use.

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Earlier this week, the organisation met with an expert advisory group to explore the opportunities and challenges that a potential CSO power presents.

Chief Executive of the Scottish Land Commission, Hamish Trench, said: "The Commission was established to help create a Scotland where everybody benefits from the ownership, management, and use of Scotland's land and buildings.

"If we want Scotland's land to become more productive, efficient and equitable we must consider tools and mechanisms such as CSOs to address the problem of vacant and derelict land. It is envisaged that CSOs would be used to tackle abandoned buildings and small plots of vacant and derelict land in town centres and communities.

"We are working with the Scottish Government to develop proposals for a new CSO power that can then be used as the basis for consultation.

"The proposals will provide a clear description of the purpose of powers, how they might operate, the conditions under which they could be triggered and fully comply with the European Convention of Human Rights."

(LM/MH)