The Scottish Conservatives have amended the new Planning Bill to include Land Value Capture, which will enable local authorities to significantly increase their ability to build more communities.
Land Value Capture enables local authorities to benefit from the increase in value of land through planning permission. Usually, when a plot of land is granted planning permission, its value increases substantially. Land Value Capture is a way of making sure that more of this increase in value is used for the benefit of the community.
The amendment, moved by Graham Simpson, Scottish Conservative housing spokesman, sets out that where a planning authority establishes a Simplified Development Zone, it may include provision for compulsory purchase.
The amendment sets out the practicalities of this approach, how the purchase price is to be fixed, and requires ministers to set out the rest of the detail about the process by regulations.
Alexander Stewart MSP, Monica Lennon MSP and Andy Wightman MSP also supported the amendment.
Graham Simpson, Scottish Conservative housing spokesman said; “The inclusion of land value capture in this bill will enable councils to invest the money gained through their decisions to grant planning permission on affordable housing, new roads and better infrastructure. Importantly, this amendment also ensures that compensation is payable to those whose land is purchased.
“I believe that this amendment will help transform the landscape of residential and economic development in Scotland. Most crucially, this will enable more houses to be built, more communities to be created and more people will have more opportunity to own their own home.”