Local Development Plan – Argyll and Bute want your help

The Local Development Plan – Argyll and Bute Council

What is this? - How does this affect YOU ? - Why should you bother?

The Council has a “plan” — honest it does!
This is a bunch of ideas and priorities for all of Argyll and Bute, and is used to base the decisions about what planning and development is allowed in any one place. At the moment the “plan” is made up of a Structure plan which was last put together in 2002, and the local plan, which was started in 2003 but was only finally adopted last August.
However the Scottish Government has re-organised how local planning is to be handled and they have asked all the councils to undergo a new simplified integrated process.

This will take quite a long time to put together, but its important. The plan that is produced will determine everything from the priorities of which roads are upgraded, how and where the affordable housing is allocated, and where the industry or the shops will be.
The aim is that this will be done by 2013 but from then on it will be under almost constant review, bieng updated every 2-3 years.

As a fundamental early part of this long procedure they want to know what you want to see in your local community and what you think needs to be done.

The information about the new plan, the concepts and what they want you to think about is here
www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ldp

What they want from all of us, each individual in the parish, not just the Community Council or organisations, but every single one of you, is for you to fill a very simple survey. Its is pretty basic, but it will identify what YOUR priorities are for where you live. This they will use to establish the priorities for the next stage.

Survey http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/8BB92DB9FCBE1A85/

You have from now until the 31st of March to get this completed. Your community council will be providing input as well, and is very interested in holding a public meeting about this at some point – watch this space.

The topics to consider for the future of your neighbourhood include: -

Housing – private, public and affordable housing
Infrastructure – roads, airport, bridges, communications, services : water, electricity, sewage
Industry – what kinds, where, and sustainability
Retail – what shops, and what businesses
Education
Our built and natural heritage

Hopefully we can use this site to explore these topics in relation to Ardchattan in the next few weeks to help us all understand the background, and ramifications.

This process is very much the initial stages, the first questionnaire is pretty general. BUT please think about it, as it will be of profound influence to the broad outline of how the planners allocate their priorities in our immediate area.

There will be plenty of other opportunities to influence the finer details, and all the process is to be out in the open, for your scrutiny all along the way.

From the Argyll and Bute Council website : -
We would welcome the views of the general public, community council’s, community groups and other interested parties on what aspects of the existing Structure and Local Plan could be improved upon. We also want to know how you wish to see your community in 20 years time.
Please let us know your views by using the community consultation online questionnaire.

The background is explained here
http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/content/planning/developmentpolicy/3270329/3292083/3291852

Once again the survey is here – please print off hard copies for any family or friends who do not have internet access. Everyone’s opinion counts.

February 6, 2010 Posted in: argyll and bute council, Community