The Development Trusts Association Scotland is a member of the Scottish Community Coalition on Energy (alongside Community Energy Scotland and Community Land Scotland) which seeks to secure a Fair Energy Deal for Scottish communities.

The group is advocating to maximise the positive impacts of the renewables revolution by creating more opportunities for community-owned energy and putting Community Wealth Building principles at the heart of wider energy policy and economic transformation.

With the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections on the horizon, we are calling on parties to commit to enabling and supporting increased community ownership and shared ownership of new and existing electricity and heat infrastructure, and fair distribution of the wealth that is being generated and consolidated through renewables.

As such, as part of the SCCE, we are publishing our manifesto recommendations which are informed by the needs of our members, to overcome barriers and unlock benefits for the climate, communities and local economies across the country.

Read the full manifesto here: Recommended manifesto policies – Scottish Community Coalition on Energy

The planned exponential growth of renewable energy and associated net zero developments present a huge opportunity for communities to secure financial stability and control within a landscape of reduced and piecemeal public funding. Although many of our members are in receipt of community benefit funds (CBFs), current practices do not place communities at the centre, and many are struggling with inconsistent approaches from developers, a lack of capacity to properly engage in negotiations and exclusion from decision-making processes.  

With this in mind, DTAS welcomed the opportunity to respond on behalf of our members to the Scottish Government’s consultation on Community Benefits from Net Zero Energy Developments. We made sure that our members’ voices were not just included but drove the conversation by conducting a member-wide survey which received over 60 responses and holding a member-only discussion event. 

During these discussions our member’s stressed the need to strengthen the Good Practice Principles for onshore wind and extend that to offshore renewables and other forms of net zero technologies, consider a national distribution of community benefits, and increase the amount of shared and community ownership of renewable energy.  

What Our Members Shared 

In our December 2024 survey and March 2025 consultation event, members spoke clearly and with purpose.  Here’s what we heard: 

• CBFs are essential: Almost a quarter of our members already receive CBFs and use it to support everything from housing to youth work to local climate action. Those that do not receive such vital funding noted that it would make a monumental difference to the services they can provide for their communities.  

• The system isn’t working for everyone: Members highlighted inconsistent developer practice and limited capacity to engage in complex negotiations within some communities. Meaning that they often lose out on opportunities or struggle to secure the best deal.  

• Local democratic control.  Communities are best placed to decide how funds are spent; however, this is not always the case, and many members voiced challenges they have with developer-imposed conditions on the use of CBFs. Communities must also be properly supported and recognised as equal partners to participate in decision-making. 

• Full and Shared community ownership of renewable developments has strong support, but barriers such as finance, legal complexity and a lack of early engagement make it out of reach for most.  

What DTAS Is Calling For 

Grounded in member voices and feedback, we’re advocating for a more transparent, consistent and community-led system, involving: 

• Mandatory CBFs for all technologies—onshore, offshore, and beyond: with mandatory reporting, and audit by the SG to check that developers are complying with GPPs and that communities can realise their priorities. 

• A meaningful benchmark value: We propose a minimum of 5% of gross revenue per year for offshore wind. For onshore technologies we recommend a common method for calculating CB, as a proportion of revenue and including a CB floor with a guarantee of £X MW per year (this should be above the current £5,000 MW amount). These benchmarks should be index-linked and increase every year in line with inflation. 

• Balancing local impact and national need: while member opinions were divided on the issue of national distribution, through discussions many recognised the inequities within the current system and the benefit of a mechanism for regional and national distribution if it retained local control and did not reduce funding for directly impacted communities. 

• Stronger Good Practice Principles, with local communities in the lead.  

• Greater support and finance for full and shared ownership opportunities and introducing a requirement for developers to offer credible shared ownership to communities.  

• Local authority involvement: members were wary of allowing local authorities to manage funds and had mixed views of other intermediaries managing or distributing CBFs. The core principle was that well-resourced and funded community anchor organisations would be best places to represent their communities. 

• We’re also backing a Scottish Community Wealth Fund that could help communities across the country to invest in long-term assets and support a just, equitable transition. With the caveat that communities must be included in this decision, and local impact is still prioritised. 

At the heart of our members’ work is local democracy in action, which is why our response emphasises the need to strengthening local democracy through local democratic reforms.  

Development trusts are accountable to their communities. They listen, plan, deliver—and they know what works. Our consultation responses make it clear: funding decisions must be rooted in community-led governance, not imposed externally by developers or local authorities. 

To deliver on this community-led governance development trusts must be properly resourced and staffed, with long-term secure and sustainable funding. By investing in community capacity, we will deliver better outcomes and strengthen the foundations of local democracy and achieve community wealth building goals across Scotland.  

Ultimately, DTAS is of the view that community or shared ownership of on and offshore renewables is the best option to benefit communities the most.  Private developers’ primary responsibility is to increase profit for their shareholders, not to our communities. Local people stand to benefit the most if we own our energy infrastructure, but we also recognise and will lobby for improvements in the current CBF models.  We will continue to push for an approach that matches our members’ ambition, with the structures, resources, and trust to ensure that renewables deliver not just clean energy, but lasting community benefit.  

We hope that the points we have put forth in this consultation response will lead to significant progress towards our vision of a fairer, greener, energy system that puts power in the hands of people.  

Read our full response here:

DTAS Consultation Response – CBFs from Net Zero Energy Developments

Read the summaries from our member survey and event here: 

DTAS CBF and Shared Ownership Survey 2024 Findings Full Report

DTAS CBF Consultation Event Summary 2025

We also support this information that is included within this consultation response from Strathclyde Institute for Sustainable Studies – Enhancing Community Benefit from Community CBFs

– Pauline Smith
Chief Executive, Development Trusts Association Scotland 

At the start of June last month, the Research and Insights Team joined our Development Officer for Argyll and Bute, Laura, on a visit to Tiree Community Development Trust. Also known as Urras Thiriodh in Gaelic, Tiree Community Development Trust plays a vital role for its island community, catering its services towards the island’s tailored priorities.

As the team arrived from the mainland, the Trust’s wind turbine, Tilley, was visible from the ferry, working hard on a windy Hebridean day. Renewable energy has been TCDT’s key source of income since 2010 and has made an immense difference to the scale and scope of what the organisation have been able to achieve.

From the revenue made from Tilley, TCDT has had the resources to be ambitious in their projects and the services they provide. Redeveloping the main harbours in Milton and Scarinish have been some of the biggest successes of the Trust to date. Whilst both harbours cost a pound each to buy, the Trust received capital funding from the National Lottery, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government to complete these projects. The fishing industry on Tiree is one of the most sustainable sources of income for residents and with the renovations complete, the island now has a stable fleet of seven fishing boats in use. Other key projects have included the Cruas Project, a cost-of-living support service for islanders, the purchase of an electric minivan and the construction of a fuel station to name a few.

The team were treated to a tour of the North side of island by Hayley, the island ranger employed by the Trust. Along the way to the ancient ruin of Vaul Broch, the ranger detailed some of their main responsibilities: with large number of visitors coming to the island, Hayley provides information to visitors, offers guided walks and tours and caters activities for visitors with access needs. With oystercatchers, lapwings and starlings flying overhead, Hayley stressed the importance of raising awareness of Tiree’s machair, the fertile but sensitive grass plains which cover the island. She often gives advice to campervans and motorhomes about suitable campsites which will help conserve the island’s environment.

Looking forward, Urras Thiriodh are soon to open business units, partly funded by HIE, which will give in new services for the island community which can only be accessed on the mainland, bringing in new commerce to the island.

The Trust is also looking into solutions to the community’s pressing issues. After consultation with residents, the Development Trust identified the urgent need to improve the island’s housing crisis with a staggering 46% of houses on Tiree not being regularly used. Whilst opportunity does exist on the island, the lack of a variety of accommodation sizes means those wishing to move to the island and rent or buy are faced with a lack of affordable options. Urras Thiriodh are looking into different solutions into this key priority for the community as part of their Community Development Plan.

The visit to Tiree Community Development Trust was an inspiring account of island life and the joys and challenges that come with working for in the interest of the community.

On the 7th of February, the second DTAS Debates session was held for our members. For this event, the topic of the debate was on the community benefit funds (CBF) landscape from renewable energy developers. With approximately £25 million coming into communities across Scotland last year through these arrangements, the debate explored varied experiences of development trusts have had in setting up funds and receiving monies. The guiding question of the debate was: What could an equal, consistent and transparent Community Benefit Fund landscape look like?

The debate welcomed three different speakers: Stephen McCarron from the 9CC Group, Rachel Searle from Foundation Scotland and Karen Edwards from DTAS member Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company. Each panellist gave an overview of their organisation with the strengths and challenges relating to community benefit funds. The event was chaired by Morven Lyon, head of Democratic Finance.

The importance of partnership with the stakeholders involved in the CBF process was emphasised throughout the evening. Whilst the Stephen and Karen shared what their organisations have been able to achieve through strong relations with developers and innovative models, the debate allowed members to share a variety of different experiences. Once the discussion was opened to the members, some shared their cohesive work with local stakeholders in managing their CBF, other DTAS members spoke of their challenges of cooperation and conflict with local authorities and community councils to create effective CBF arrangements.

The debate illustrated the complexities and barriers in the current landscape of community benefit funds. In particular, the inequality of communities receiving community benefits was raised with some development trusts earning more than £500,000 per annum whilst others across the country aren’t seeing a penny.

Other topics included:

• Community engagement in decision-making processes for fund distribution.
• Mandatory Community Benefit Fund arrangements
• DTAS’ role in supporting members with CBF.

With DTAS’ Research and Insights Team and Democratic Finance Team currently conducting research into the community benefit fund landscape, the debate shed light on the complicated landscape of Community Benefit Funds and the need for more support for development trusts in this area.