Community right to buy abandoned, neglected or detrimental land: full guidance

1.8. The Register of Applications by Community Bodies to Buy Land

1.8.1. The Act provides for the setting up and maintenance of the Register of Applications by Community Bodies to Buy Land (RoACBL) which contains information and documents relating to each Part 3A CB's application for consent (section 97F of the Act).

1.8.2. The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (RoS) ("the Keeper") is the Keeper of the RoACBL. The Keeper is to maintain the RoACBL and ensure that it is made available for public inspection at all reasonable times, free of charge, although there is a charge for copies of any register entries. The Register can be viewed through the RoS website at: https://roacbl.ros.gov.uk.

1.8.3. Ministers will instruct the Keeper to enter information in the RoACBL at various stages of the application process. Additional information may be entered into the Register, if Ministers so instruct. Section 97F(2) of the Act specifies the information that must be held in the RoACBL. The Part 3A CB which is applying can request that such information which relates to the raising of funding, be withheld from public inspection and will not be entered into the RoACBL; Ministers will keep that information or document separately from the Register (section 97F(4) and (5) of the Act).

1.8.4. Once an application is received and the details appear on the RoACBL, then a prohibition is placed on the owner of the land in the application. This prohibits the owner from transferring the land or taking action with a view to transfer the land.

1.8.5. If the Part 3A CB changes its name, registered or principal office once an application is registered they must notify the Keeper as soon as is reasonably practicable after that change has been made (section 97F(7) and (8) of the Act). They should also notify the Community Land Team of that change.

1.8.6. It may be helpful for a Part 3A CB to consult the RoACBL to see examples of applications and supporting documents which other Part 3A CBs have already submitted to Ministers.