FAQs
- proposals for new homes, including affordable homes, local employment or community facilities
- proposals which support climate change mitigation and adaption, such as renewable energy, flood risk management and tree planting
- initiatives for active travel and community growing
- improvements to town, village and neighbourhood centres
- improvements to open space provision and quality, play and community facilities
- the conservation of local wildlife or the built environment.
- a map showing the land to which the local place plan relates, with a clear boundary. The map should show any land or building which the community considers of particular significance to the local area or which is the subject of a proposal within the LPP.
- a statement of the community body’s proposals as to the development and use of land within the local place plan area.
- A map of the boundary of the Local Place Plan
- A map identifying specific sites/locations, subject to proposals within the Plan
- A statement of the community body’s proposals
- Litter management and dog fouling
- Specific improvements to public transport (routes and timetables)
- Proposals which do not fundamentally impact on the long-term use of land, such as occasional activities/events using existing facilities, spaces and places.
Why create a Local Place Plan?
Local Place Plans provide communities with the ability to shape the appearance, form and function of the places in which they live. These plans can raise awareness and bring attention to land use issues that are experienced in a community and explore what actions can be taken to improve them. An LPP can also influence the provisions within the Local Development Plan. The process of preparing an LPP also provides an opportunity for communities to come together and to engage with other organisations that can help to shape their future.
Who can prepare a Local Place Plan?
Local Place Plans must be prepared by, or on behalf of, a Community Council or a ‘community-controlled body’, as defined by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Your organisation does not necessarily have to be a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation and the group could be created specifically for the purpose of preparing and delivering the LPP. If you are unsure, we can help to advise what qualifies under these definitions. Preparing a Local Place Plan should be collaborative, involving as many people and organisations as possible with an interest in a place. Whilst ourselves in Planning and the vibrant communities team can offer support, the Plan should be community-led.
What issues can our local place plan consider?
Local Place Plans are community led plans setting out proposals for the development and use of land.
Examples of the issues they might cover include:
What should our Local Place Plan look like?
It is entirely up to you what your LPP looks like. It can be a very short document. It does not need to include a lot of text and detail. To meet the statutory requirements, it needs to contain;
What area should our Local Place Plan cover?
It is up to the community to define the area. A LPP may be prepared for a town, village, community council area or a neighbourhood within a town.
What information must we provide for our Local Place Plan to be registered?
When you are happy that your LPP meets all requirements, you should submit it to us. We, as the planning authority, must register all valid LPPs. The following table outlines the information that must be submitted with a Local Place Plan to ensure it can be registered. The table summarises the requirements set out in the Local Place Plan regulations (The Town and Country Planning (Local Place Plans) (Scotland) Regulations 2021)
Required information
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1. A copy of the finalised Local Place Plan. This should include: |
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2. The contact details for the community body
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3. A copy of the written constitution of the community body*
*This is not required if the community body is a Community Council
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4. A statement explaining how the community body has, in preparing the Local Place Plan, had regard to:
(i) the local development plan for the local place plan area,
(ii) the National Planning Framework |
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5. A statement setting out why the community body considers that the local development plan should be amended
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6. Evidence that regulation 4 has been complied with
Regulation 4 states that before submitting a LPP to the planning authority, the community body must send a copy of the Plan to: (a) each local councillor for the LPP area and (b) any community council within or adjoining the LPP area.
The Plan should be accompanied with a notice containing a brief description of the content and purpose of the plan and information on how representations on the content of the plan should be made (i.e. to whom and by what date). The date for representations should be no less than 28 days after the date the notice is sent.
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7. A statement setting out:
(i)the community body’s view of the level and nature of support for the local place plan;
(ii)the basis on which the community body has reached that view, including a description of any consultation by the community body in respect of the proposed local place plan,
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8. A copy of any document which is referred to in the local place plan (other than a document which is prepared or published by the planning authority to whom the local place plan is submitted).
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Planning authorities are required to establish, maintain and publish a register of Local Place Plans and to make information about them available so that people can see if there is a Local Place Plan in their area. Specifically, the register must contain a copy of the Local Place Plan and a copy of the information submitted alongside it.
What sort of issues cannot be covered by an LPP?
There may be issues that are important for communities, but they are not considered as development and so would not normally be covered in LPPs. Some examples include the following matters:
Community bodies may, however, wish to consider how these issues can be appropriately represented and addressed in a Community Action Plan.
Are there examples of LPPs we can look at?
Yes, there are LPPs being produced all across Scotland and, when registered, these can be viewed online. Some suggested links are below, but you will be able to find more examples by doing a simple internet search.
Local Place Plan Register - Here. Now. All of us. - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
Does our community need to produce a LPP?
No, there is no obligation on any community to prepare a LPP. There will be other opportunities for individuals and communities to have input into the preparation of the Local Development Plan.
Many communities have already or are in the process of producing Community Action Plans. Community Action Plans can be evolved into Local Place Plans as long as they meet the statutory requirements and, importantly, have a focus on land use and development. In some instances depending on the issues and priorities for the area, communities may opt to focus just on preparing and implementing a Community Action Plan.
How will LPPs be used in the planning process?
When preparing a new Local Development Plan, Planning Authorities are required to take account of all registered Local Place Plans.
We are in the early stages of preparing the East Ayrshire Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3), with work currently underway to produce the Evidence Report, the first formal stage of the plan making process. Work on the proposed Plan is anticipated to commence in March 2026. We are therefore asking that Local Place Plans be prepared and registered by 31 March 2026, in order that we can fully take them into account in preparing the LDP3.
It is important to note that whilst we will take all registered place plans into account and give them full consideration, it will not necessarily be possible to reflect all proposals contained within LPPs within LDP3. LDP3 must take a balanced approach across a number of competing requirements and priorities, such as the climate emergency, meeting our housing land requirement and stimulating economic growth. It is therefore important than when preparing a Local Place Plan, communities consider the aims, policies and land allocations of the existing Local Development Plan (as well as National Planning Framework 4).
Where can I send our local place plan for registering?
Local Place Plans should be sent to the Local Development Plan team at East Ayrshire Council for registration:
Email address: LocalDevelopmentPlans@east-ayrshire.gov.uk
Postal Address:
FAO Local Development Plan team,
Development Planning & Regeneration,
Economic Growth,
East Ayrshire Council,
The Opera House,
8 John Finnie Street,
Kilmarnock,
KA1 1DD