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A community right to buy

“Local communities should have the first right to buy land and buildings that they have registered or can demonstrate an interest in.”

2. How does it fit with Compass’ core beliefs of equality, solidarity, democracy, freedom, sustainability and well being?

Experience in Scotland has shown that community campaigns to acquire their land have been extremely powerful at brining people together to register interest, raise money, and develop and manage the land aquired.

A first right to buy when the owner chooses to sell, as in Scotland, leaves too much power to the land owners - there should be further provision for compulsory community purchase where land is not well utilised or maintained, or where overriding community interest can be demonstrated.

3. How does it build the institutions of social democracy, like social groups and collective and cooperative forms of ownership and control?

A community right to buy turns the Thatcherite ideal of property owning individuals into a cooperative vision of collective ownership. It requires the creation of community land trusts or other socially controlled bodies to own and manage assets for the good of the community.

4. How much will it cost or raise and where will any cost come from?

Legislation creating the community right to buy would cost nothing. But communities would need money to exercise the right. In Scotland a national fund provides some support for communities, who still have to raise most of the money themeselves.

5. Which groups in the electorate are likely to support or oppose this measure? Is there any polling evidence you have on this?

Landowners would oppose, especially if extended to include the right to compulsorily purchase under used or poorly managed land.
Environmental groups and land reform campaigners would be strongly in favour. Local communities, especially in rural areas, gardeners and ramblers may also be supportive.

6. Is there a place or country where it’s worked? Please provide some information.

Scotland. The Land Reform Scotland Act 2003 gave communities the right to buy land in which they have an interest when the owner wants to sell, and has enabled over 200 communities to acquire a third of a million acres.

7. What are the three main arguments in favour/against it?

Empowering communities vs state theft of individual property
Common ownership vs the free market
Preserving the environment vs the danger that NIMBYs would use it to prevent development unreasonably

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