Published Date: Sep 1st, 2022
Fife Council is asking local community bodies to start to develop Local Place Plans, giving people an opportunity to develop proposals for the development and use of land in the place where they live.
Local Place Plans are a new type of plan designed to stimulate and encourage debate about the future of a place, enabling communities to focus on their aspirations as they shape their local place. The aim is to make sure that place-based projects and developments are shaped by the needs of local people. This could mean more 20-minute neighbourhoods, town centre revitalisation, community-led regeneration, inclusive growth, local resilience, community wealth building, and local work towards reducing carbon emissions.
Bill Lindsay, Service Manager, Policy and Place, Fife Council, said: “Fife council is inviting communities - local groups or organisations - to prepare Local Place Plans so that they can play an active role in defining the future of their places.
“Fife community groups are being asked to develop place plans that meet their future aspirations and help transform local areas.
“Fife Council will not be involved in writing Local Place Plans but can support community groups – this includes signposting groups to information and practical help. We can also provide further advice on the process and requirements for Local Place Plans in Fife. Information on other support available is at https://our.fife.scot/support ”
The Scottish Government has provided guidance for both communities and planning authorities on the preparation, submission and registration of Local Place Plans in their document Circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans
Examples of issues a Local Place Plan might address:
- sites which support climate change adaptation/renewable energy/flood mitigation
- local initiatives for the promotion of active travel and community food growing
- sites for housing (including affordable), local employment or tourism/community facilities
- retaining and improving/expanding open space and play facilities
- infrastructure developing natural assets - including public open space, parks, playing fields, allotments and woodlands as well as rivers, lochs and ponds
- conservation of the natural and built environment
- improvements to town and neighbourhood centres.
The council is urging any community body interested in creating a Local Place Plan to take a short survey https://forms.office.com/r/SxZiVK9Y1M
Any group or body in a position to submit a Local Place Plan can email LPP@fife.gov.uk.
Fife Council is preparing a new Local Development Plan, which will set out planning policies and proposals for the use and development of land across Fife for the next 10 years. To enable communities to have a more direct role in the decisions that influence their place, the council’s new Local Development Plan will consider registered Local Place Plans. A Local Place Plan also provides a framework for communities to take forward community actions themselves.
Local Place Plans will be just one of a wide range of opportunities to engage with the new Fife Local Development Plan.
To help Local Place Plans fully inform the Local Development Plan these should be submitted by the end of October 2023.
Visit Fife Council’s website for more information www.fife.gov.uk/localplaceplans
The main requirements for a Local Place Plan (LPP) are that it must:
- be prepared by a community body (as defined by Community Empowerment legislation)
- be a proposal as to the development or use of land, and
- fulfill the legal requirements set out in the relevant legislation around (these are explained further within the Circular)
Existing community-led plans that provide a community vision for the development and use of land will be taken into consideration during the preparation of the Local Development Plan.
