Data Background

There is currently no definitive register of community groups who could potentially own assets. As a result, the data included in the initial estimates of community ownership published in Estimate of Community Owned Land in Scotland 2017 were based on combining administrative datasets from four organisations involved in community ownership. They were: Highlands and Islands Enterprise, who have responsibilities to support community ownership in their area; National Lottery Community Fund, who administer the Scottish Land Fund for Scottish Government; the Development Trusts Association Scotland; and Community Land Scotland. These organisations’ databases were identified by a secondee from Scotland’s Rural College into the Scottish Government, who was tasked with identifying as many community groups as possible that own assets.

The work undertaken showed that the most feasible way to collect data was from these overarching organisations initially, and then to try and verify the data held with the community groups themselves. Then in the long term to work with Registers of Scotland to verify the assets, where applicable, on the Land Register.

Therefore, the Scottish Government carried out a survey from November 2017 to February 2018 of the community groups then believed to own assets. The community groups that were surveyed were included in the database used to produce the Estimate of Community Owned Land in Scotland 2017 publication. Groups were asked to confirm their ownership of assets and the following information, where available: land area, purchase price, market value, previous owner and the ways the asset was used.

Participation in the survey was voluntary and the response rate was 45%, although not necessarily all of the requested information was provided by all respondents. In addition, 14 community groups that were not on the original database also responded to the survey.