Local Place Plans - proposals for regulations: consultation analysis

1. Introduction

Background

1.1 This report presents analysis of responses to a public consultation on proposals for regulations on Local Place Plans (LPPs). These regulations are part of wider work on planning reform and implementation of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (the 2019 Act).

1.2 Section 14 of the 2019 Act amends the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to introduce a new right for communities to produce LPPs for their places, with scope for these plans, or parts of them, to become a part of the Local Development Plan (LDP). The aim is to significantly enhance engagement in development planning, effectively empowering communities to play a proactive role in defining the future of their places by setting out their proposals for the use and development of land.

The consultation

1.3 The consultation paper presented draft proposals for the framework of regulations to support the implementation of provisions relating to LPPs. As regulations are developed, other guidance to community bodies, planning authorities and other parties will be considered with the intention that guidance and a 'How to' guide will be in place on the coming into force of the secondary legislation.

1.4 The consultation opened on 15 March 2021 and closed on 25 June. It asked 18 questions, ten of which had closed and open elements, with the remaining eight questions entirely open.

1.5 The consultation documents are available on the Scottish Government's consultation hub.

Profile of responses

1.6 In total 202 responses were received, of which 140 were from groups or organisations and 62 from individual members of the public. Where consent has been given to publish the response, they may be found at Published responses for Local Place Plan Regulations consultation - Scottish Government - Citizen Space.

1.7 Respondents were asked to identify whether they were responding as an individual or on behalf of a group or organisation. Organisational respondents were allocated to one of seven groups by the analysis team. A breakdown of the number of responses received by respondent type is set out below, and a full list of organisational respondents appended to this report as Annex 1.

Analysis and reporting

1.8 This report presents an analysis of responses received in relation to each of the consultation questions in turn.

1.9 Closed questions offered respondents the choice of "Yes", "No" or "No view" answers. The analysis of further comments made at these questions is broadly set out according to the answer at the closed question, with the majority view discussed first. Comments from those who selected "No view" or did not answer the closed question are included where most appropriate.

1.10 Where respondents made submissions in a statement style format that did not follow the consultation questions, this content has been analysed qualitatively under the most directly relevant question, or is covered in the final chapter.

1.11 In addition to brief coverage of several issues raised beyond the scope of the consultation questions, the final chapter summarises a number of key themes that recurred across responses to a number of questions.

1.12 As with any public consultation exercise, it should be noted that those responding generally have a particular interest in the subject area. Therefore, the views they express cannot necessarily be seen as representative of wider public opinion.