In 2023, we began the Community Land Accelerator (CLA) project in partnership with the Scottish Land Commission.
What is it?
Under the Accelerator project, we’ll explore how Crown Estate Scotland may help communities who want to own local assets but struggle to raise funds quickly enough when properties come on the market.
If design and pilot of the Accelerator is successful, roll-out will see us acquire land and assets on an interim basis, with the aim of selling them at market value to a community body once it had raised the funds.
The type and scale of assets which might be involved is not yet clear, and progress will depend on availability of capital and other factors.
Why is it important?
We - and our partners at the Scottish Land Commission - want communities to have more opportunities to own and / or manage land.
However, it can be difficult for community groups to fund buying assets. For example, sometimes they can’t raise the money required in the period the asset is available.
By stepping in to purchase assets on an interim basis, we would give community groups a longer timeframe in which to raise funds for a purchase.
In a broader sense, this mechanism could also:
- support communities with aspirations to enhance natural capital, and mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss by changing the way land is used
- support our overall aim of creating lasting value for Scotland by supporting economic development, regeneration, and social and environmental wellbeing
Project phases
The Accelerator project is planned out in three phases.
Development and design
This phase covers the initial development and design of the Accelerator concept and approach, alongside a period of engagement with stakeholders to gather their feedback on it.
Subject to the success of this engagement as well as availability of capital, we will move to the next phase in 2024.
Pilot
This phase covers the process of devising a pilot scheme, identifying a suitable community organisation to take part, trialling the approach, and then analysing what has been learned.
Only after this analysis is complete will a decision be made about whether to commit to the project from 2025 onwards.
Full rollout
This phase, subject to a successful pilot, will see us roll the Accelerator out as an ongoing project.
Next steps
We appointed a Community Land Accelerator manager to lead the project in June 2023, and are working through the development and design phase.