Adapting Community Right to Buy processes for the urban context: community perspectives.

Abstract

Community groups in urban Scotland have been able to use Community Right to Buy (CRtB) mechanisms to secure ownership of land since April 2016. Concerns have been raised that elements of the process itself may be a barrier to groups seeking to utilise it, undermining the Scottish Government’s goal of 1 million acres of land in community ownership by 2020. The relative speed of urban land markets compared to rural, and the greater density and diversity of cities may be contributing factors not previously taken into account. CRtB tailored for the urban context could help deliver more community land ownership in Scotland’s cities, and the social and economic benefits this provides.
The research focusses on urban community group experiences of the first stage of the CRtB process: registering an interest in land. Holistic-case studies developed from semi-structured interviews of two Edinburgh-based groups are presented, one successful and one not. Analysis identifies three key issues that need to be addressed and solutions offered by community groups. Recommendations are presented in the form of six policy proposals for adapting the process of registering an interest in land.
Key words: Community Right to Buy, public policy, Scottish Government, urban, policy adaptation, adapt, IAD, Institutional Analysis and Development, Ostrom, case study, CRtB, review, Action Porty, Inspire East End, Edinburgh, Scotland.