WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you should refer to the pdf version of this document. CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Paper 9 14 November 2008 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY FOR DECISION Title: Sustainable Design Guide Prepared by: Alison Lax Local Plan / Policy Officer Purpose This report is to report back on the joint Board / staff workshop held on the Sustainable Design Guide, and to seek the Planning Committee’s agreement to the purpose, scope and principles of the sustainable design guide. Recommendation That Members of the Planning Committee approve the purpose, principles and audience of the Sustainable Design Guide. Background 1. The Sustainable Design Guide is one of the pieces of supplementary planning guidance that will be produced to support the policies included in the Local Plan. The full list of the guidance to be produced was agreed at the Board meeting on 31 October 2008. 2. Work has been progressing gradually on the design guide for some time now. The latest element of this was the joint members / staff workshop that was held on 22/23 October. The event was well attended by both members and staff and focused on addressing the key issues relating to the design guide, namely, how it will be Cairngorms specific, how it will relate to the plethora of guidance on sustainable design that already exists and which can be utilised, and who the primary audiences will be. 3. On the basis of discussion at the workshop it is proposed that the guide is prepared in line with the following parameters. Purpose The purpose of the Sustainable Design Guide is primarily to support policy 18 in the Local Plan which sets out the design standards required for all new development in the National Park. It will provide guidance and advice on the particular issues that need to be considered when planning for a new development in the Cairngorms National Park, and will signpost users to other sources of guidance and information where appropriate. Principles The Guide should be: • Cairngorms Specific o The Guide will deal with issues that are relevant to the particular requirements of the Cairngorms National Park. It will not pick up on general issues where information is already available elsewhere. It is intended to fill a gap that exists in existing guidance on sustainable design. • Concise o The Guide will be as concise as possible, and will not repeat information that is available elsewhere, but instead will signpost the users to these sources. • Customer focused o The Guide will be targeted at its primary audience, and will be helpful and encouraging in style and tone to help people deliver the best outcome for the Park and get their application though the planning process as efficiently as possible. • Outcome focused o The Guide will be focused on what needs to be achieved to meet the vision in Park Plan and Local Plan and should have an underlying emphasis on pragmatic elements in order to convey the message that sustainable design is both achievable and worthwhile. • A Guide that truly makes a difference o The Guide should be developed so that it can be used to support the relevant policy in the Local Plan to make a real difference, In particular, the combination of helpful text in the main body of the Guide, and the checklist to be submitted with each application, will act as in a mutually reinforcing way to encourage more sustainable forms of development. Audience • Primary Audience is people who are considering developing in the National Park • NOT architects / professional developers Timetable The timetable for the production of the sustainable design guide is moving apace, and the programme of work for the coming months is set out in Annex 1. Alison Lax Local Plan / Policy Officer 4 November 2008 Annex 1 Outputs and Related Activities Table not available in full text format - please refer to PDF version.