84 Bellfield and Development Trusts

Send us Fan MailThe growth of Development Trusts across Scotland has been an undoubted success story. Over 40,000 people have been involved in buying land or property since the Community Right to Buy Legislation was passed in 2003. They now own assets worth almost £90m and have brought in £25m in regeneration funding. With a collective turnover of over £50m, they are economic success stories too. The trusts have transformed areas, especially rural ones, across the country. But as we know, the law was updated to allow for local communities to acquire buildings in towns and cities as well with of course Bellfield being the first to succeed. Bellfield had a major advantage in that Ian Cooke, director of the Development Trusts Association Scotland, lives in Portobello, just up the hill from the new community centre. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder started by asking him about his involvement.