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 FOR DECISION Title: Development Plan Scheme 2010 Prepared by: Alison Lax, Local Plan / Policy Officer Purpose: For the Committee to agree the Development Plan Scheme for 2010 Recommendations That the Planning Committee agree the Development Plan Scheme for 2010 Executive Summary All Planning Authorities in Scotland are required to produce a Development Plan Scheme, setting out how they are going to progress to adoption of their Development Plan. This document sets out a timetable, and also details how the planning authority is going to engage others in the process of plan preparation. FOR INFORMATION Background 1. All Planning Authorities in Scotland are required to produce a Development Plan Scheme, setting out how they are going to progress to adoption of their Development Plan. This document sets out a timetable, and also details how the planning authority is going to engage others in the process of plan preparation. 2. The first Development Plan scheme was prepared in March 2009, and this is the time for the annual review of its contents. 3. It is important for the public and key partners to have a clear overview of the NPA’s plans for the preparation of the Local Development Plan for the National Park. The Development Plan Scheme provides a summary of the process that will be undertaken, and includes key dates over the coming years. It is important to let people know these dates in advance, but also to let them see that although the process takes a long time, and the public may not see anything tangible for periods of time, work is progressing continuously behind the scenes. 4. A copy of the proposed Development Plan Scheme for 2010 is set out in Appendix One of this report. Recommendation 5. That the Planning Committee agree the Development Plan scheme for 2010. Implications 6. Financial Implications As the Development Plan Scheme is not going to be printed this year, and will be available solely on the CNPA website, there are no printing or design costs associated with its production. 7. Implications for Stakeholders The Development Plan Scheme is a quick reference document that sets out clearly for any interested parties how we are going to produce our Local Development Plan, and highlights key dates during the process. This helps to let people know when the key times will be for community engagement for example. Next Steps 8. The Development Plan Scheme will be published on the CNPA website, and progress monitored during the coming year. It will be revised and updated again in March 2011, as required by the Scottish Government. Alison Lax 8 March 2010 alisonlax@cairngorms.co.uk Appendix One Cairngorms National Park Development Plan Scheme March 2010 How the Cairngorms National Park Authority will prepare the new Development Plan and how you can get involved 1.0 Introduction The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) is currently taking its Local Plan through the final stages of its preparation, following on from the Public Inquiry that was held in May / June 2009. It is envisaged that the Local Plan will be adopted by the end of 2010. It will then be used by the Park Authority and the four local authorities within the Cairngorms National Park, (Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland and Moray), to assess planning applications for development. The Local Plan provides a framework of policies and proposals to guide and manage the development and use of land for a five year period. The CNPA intends to start working on a new replacement Plan for the National Park, which will be called the Local Development Plan, in Spring 2010. This will ensure that the new Plan is timely, upto-date and valid, best reflecting the changing needs and context of the Park. 2.0 The Cairngorms National Park The Cairngorms National Park was established in September 2003 and is the UK’s largest at 3800 sq km. The area was designated a National Park because of its outstanding natural environment and cultural heritage. Dominated by mountain plateau, it boasts extensive moorland, forest and straths, and is home to 25% of the UK’s threatened bird, animal and plant species. Approximately 16,000 people live in the Park and it welcomes 1.4 million visitors each year. 3.0 The Development Plan Scheme This Development Plan Scheme outlines how the CNPA will prepare the new Local Development Plan. It includes a provisional timetable, indicating what is involved at each stage, and showing how the public will be encouraged to engage with the process in a meaningful way. The Development Plan Scheme outlines the requirement to publish, and annually update, an ambitious but realistic timetable – as required under the Planning Etc (2006) Act – in particular specifying when the Park Authority expects to: 1. Publish its Main Issues Report; 2. Publish the proposed Development Plan; and 3. Submit the Development Plan to Scottish Ministers. 4.0 Local Development Plans – present and emerging The Development Plan has always been a critical part of the planning system. They form the basis (along with other material considerations) for determining planning applications. Development Plans consist of two separate parts. The Structure Plan for an area takes a long-term view of development, considering its general scale and broadly where it should be located. Taking their strategic direction for the Structure Plan, Local Plans are often for smaller areas and set out more detailed policies and proposals to guide development. The Cairngorms National Park Plan, published by the CNPA in 2007, is a material planning consideration. It sets out a framework for the overall management of the Cairngorms National Park – which will be implemented through a wide range of partners and stakeholders – and details the Park Authority's policy for managing and coordinating its functions. The Park Authority currently utilises the various Development Plans put in place by the four local authorities operating in the Park. The Local Plan which is currently being produced for the whole Park area, will eventually replace the four local authorities’ Local Plans. Current Structure Plans: North East Scotland Together NEST 2001 The Highland Structure Plan 2001 Moray Structure Plan 2007 Dundee and Angus Structure Plan 2002 Current Local Plans: Aberdeenshire Local Plan 2005 Moray Local Plan 2008 Badenoch & Strathspey Local Plan 1997 Angus Local Plan Review 2008 Cairngorms National Park Deposit Local Plan (2nd Modifications) For further information please refer to the Scottish Government’s Guide to the Planning System. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/publications/guides/guide-to-planning One of the key changes in the new planning system is a requirement to keep Development Plans upto-date. Often plans are complex and become outdated – no longer reflecting the needs of the local area. These changes in the planning system will lead to the eventual reduction in the number and type of plans used, including removing the need for a Structure Plan for the National Park, and replacing local plans with Local Development Plans. This will create a single tier of Development Plans, as set out in the Planning Etc (Scotland) Act 2006. We expect that work to review and replace the current Local Plan (once adopted) will commence this year. This will enable us to put in place a Local Development Plan that reflects the needs of the modernised planning system. We intend to provide a full, robust and transparent planning framework quickly and efficiently. The Park Authority expects to begin work on this process in spring 2010 when we will begin to invite views from stakeholder and the public on the main issues affecting the Park area. 5.0 The Development Plan’s relationship to other plans The Local Development Plan is not produced in a vacuum. It is one of a number of key documents and strategies, that together form the policy context for all new development within the Cairngorms National Park. It is influenced by, and influences the following range of documents. The key relationship here in the National Park is with the National Park Plan. This provides the strategic overview and vision, from which the policies in the Local Development Plan will flow. Note: Copy in this section forms part of a diagram and cannot be laid out in text format. Please see original PDF for reference. Development Plan Cairngorms National Park Local Plan review Plan National Guidance eg Scottish Planning Policy, Planning Advice Notes supplementary guidance eg Sustainable Design Guide, Masterplans/Development Briefs other relevant strategies eg Core Paths Plan, Local Housing Strategies, community plans other supporting evidence eg topic based research 6.0 Participation: how the CNPA will engage others in the process of producing the Development Plan Working with our communities, is a key factor for the National Park Authority, and something that it has an ongoing commitment to. Consequently, engaging with communities in the production and implementation of the Local Development Plan is also key. The CNPA board have endorsed the National Standards for Community engagement, and in practice this means we are committed to involving communities (both geographical and of interest) in all stages of the development of our Local Development Plan, including preparing for any engagement, the engagement itself, and onto the implementation of identified actions. The production of the Local Development Plan is only one part of this ongoing commitment and work for the CNPA. The work on the Local Development Plan will not be carried in isolation, and links will be made to many other plans, engagement exercises etc during the whole of its production. We will be building on information already gathered, views already put forward, and also lessons learnt from previous consultations, what went well, and what we should have done better. We will also not be doing this work on our own. CNPA will be working with partner organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors; organisations that play an active role in the community life of the National Park. Work on the Local Development Plan is not about CNPA doing everything themselves, it’s about making the most of the resources and expertise that already exists within the National Park. Working with partners who already play an active role in the community life of the National Park will help us as a NPA to understand the opportunities and challenges that our communities face in the future, and help us to be able to begin to address them. We will be making links with the existing Community Planning Partnerships in our area, and working with our constituent Local Authorities to ensure our statutory roles and responsibilities link well together. We will also be working closely with Inclusive Cairngorms, and various other advisory fora to help ensure we gain the input and engagement of a wide variety of stakeholders and people with an interest in the National Park. This will also help us to identify the barriers that prevent people from getting involved in the planning process. We will then work collectively to ensure that we address these issues and find a way around them. We recognise the importance of ensuring clear messages are given to all interested parties at various stages in the process of Plan preparation. We will ensure that everyone is clear how and when they can get involved, and exactly what is expected of them at each stage in the process. This will mean that we will adopt a variety of means of engaging with people, and the means used at each stage will be appropriate to the responses required. This will all be set out in a clear and coherent communications strategy. 7.0 Development Plan: Action Plan and Timetable The Action Plan and Timetable identifies the main stages of the process: the timescales are reflective of the preparatory work required, availability of a robust evidence base and the scale of engagement and consultation we need to undertake. However some stages may take longer than envisaged andwe will ensure that stakeholders and the public are kept informed with regular updates on the process. Note: Copy in this section forms part of a table and cannot be laid out in text. Please see original PDF for reference. STAGE ACTION PLAN: SEA TIMESCALE Stage 1 Publishing the development plan scheme (DPS). Update annually. None March 2010 Stage 2 Initial publicity and engagement to inform Main Issues Report. SEA Screening & Scoping Reports and Process March 2010 to September 2010 Stage 3 Prepare and publish Main Issues Report & Monitoring Report – formal consultation 12 weeks (minimum) Assess and prepare SEA Environmental report and consultation September 2010 to August 2011 Stage 4 Prepare, Publishing and consult on Draft Plan – formal consultation 12 weeks Formal consultation August 2011 to June 2012 Stage 5 Public Examination – Local Plan Inquiry None September/October 2012 Stage 6 Consider Reporters Recommendations, publish any postexamination changes if required, advertise Modifications if required April 2013 to September 2013 Stage 7 Adopt the Plan and Action programme, publicise intention to adopt, submit to Scottish Ministers Adopt the SEA report December 2013 Stage 8 Put plan in place and monitor against Action Programme None January 2014 - Monitor Annually For further information, please contact the planning team: Cairngorms National Park Authority, Albert Memorial Hall Station Square, Ballater AB35 5QB Tel: 013397 53601 Fax: 013397 55334 Email: planning@cairngorms.co.uk www.cairngorms.co.uk