Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2016

Identification of issues

What is a Development Plan?

• Legally.....Section 2 of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006

– “a detailed statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the development and use of the land”

• Practically – Where development should and should not take place– Under what conditions development should take place– What community benefits development should deliver

• FunctionallySection 37 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997

– “In dealing with such an application the authority shall have regard to the provisions of the development plan, so far as material to the application, and to any other material considerations”

What are development plans?• Circular 1/2009 “Development Planning”

– succinct and set out ambitious long term visions for their areas.– kept up-to-date – a practical framework within which the outcome of planning

applications can be decided with a degree of certainty and efficiency. – All interests should be engaged as early and as fully as possible– clear focus on high quality outcomes. – concise map-based documents that focus on their specific main

proposals for the period up to year 10 from adoption. – scale and location of growth up to year 20. – Minor proposals and detailed policies may be removed to

supplementary guidance, especially if there is no significant change from the previous plan.

Long Term

Succinct

Provide certainty

Practical

Up to Date

RelevantMap Based

Quality outcomes

Local

Development

Plan

Ancient History? Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2012

– Adopted June 2012– Main Issues Report

2009– Proposed Plan 2010– Public Examination

2011– 54 public meetings– 15000 submissions

– 851 “bids “ for development

– 14 Policies, – 52 Supplementary

guidance statements– 159 Housing sites– 72 Business land

sites

Outcomes from the LDP 2012

• Major new development sites to 2023• Improved design agenda• Realistic developer contributions• 40% open space• Benchmark 25% affordable Housing on site• Robust assessment of landscape• Policies for sustainable rural communities

Why Prepare a new Plan

• Issues from 2009 are not the issues of 2013

• New Strategic Development Plan• Take up of development land

allocations – re-fill the reservoir• Keep the plan up to date and

relevant

Programme for delivery of LDP 2016

2013

2014

2015

2016

What are the main issues?What new sites should we consider?

Main Issues Report

Consultation

Proposed Plan

Objection

Examination

Adoption

What are the main issues?

• Early engagement– With Community Council Forums– With Focus groups– With Elected members

• Analysis– Policy performance– “Unintended consequences”

What are main issues?

“Progress reports issued in the course of an ongoing process of engagement”

General proposals for development in the area Proposals as to where development should and

should not occur Differences from the existing plan Sufficient detail for Strategic Environmental

Assessment Alternatives

What are your main issues?

• Spatial issues– “too much development is allowed in

Inverellon, not enough in Peterhaven”– “We need a supermarket in Frasory”

• Policy issues– “planners don’t require good house

design”– “We should be allowing development of

industrial parks for housing• Site issues

– “This is where development should be promoted in Laurencetor”

There are no such places as Inverellon, Peterhaven, Frasory or Laurencetor!

What do we think “main issues” might be?

• Review of existing policy– No change required– Minor changes for clarity– Main Issue!!!

• Engagement with Development Management– Application types that may require attention

• New information

Possible main issues: 1

• Wind energy– Spatial strategy– Responding to explosive demand– Cumulative impacts– Landscape impacts– Household impacts

Is the current policy fit for purpose? Do we identify areas where wind turbines should and should not be allowed?

Possible main issues: 2

• “Green Networks”– Recreation + conservation– Spaces between villages– “Wildlife corridors”– Core Paths

Do we promote and identify green networks as places where development should not occur?

Possible main issues: 3

• Climate Change resilience– Flood risk–Water Conservation–Energy conservation

Move to managing climate change as well as combating it

Possible main issues: 4

• Rural development– Continued demand for rural

living– Impacts on sustainability of

services– Loss of opportunity for villages

Is the rural development policy fit for purpose. Does it need to be more (or less) restrictive?

Possible main issues: 5

• Housing affordable to those on modest incomes– Creation of sustainable mixed

communities– Acceptability of cash contributions

elsewhere– Development viability as a

justification for removing an affordable housing requirement

– Affordability by design

Is the policy sound. Do we need to review the processes used ?

What are your main issues?

Sustainable development

New shops

Traffic congestion House

designLand for business

Wind turbines

More parks

New schools

Historic buildings

Community facilities

Affordable housing

Don’t build here

Build here

November 2013

• Main Issues Report Published

• Public meetings across Aberdeenshire

• 12 week consultation

• Responses by 1 February 2014

Make your views known and keep in touch

• Email us at LDP@aberdeenshire.gov.ukLDPbids@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

• Website at http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/plans_policies/next_ldp.asp

• Tweet us at @ shireldp