WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LOCAL PLAN ADOPTED BY WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL MARCH 2010 Contents Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. The Development Strategy 11 3. The Key Policies 19 4. General Development 31 5. Economic Development 39 6. Housing 61 7. Town Centres and Retailing 81 8. Transport 105 9. Environment 115 10. Open Space, Access and Recreation 139 11. Public Services 153 12. Development Control 161 13. Flooding and Sustainable Urban Drainage 181 14. Implementation and Monitoring 193 15. Technical Supplement 199 16. Glossary of Terms 215 3 01 Introduction 01 Introduction 1.1 The West Dunbartonshire Local Plan provides the statutory land-use planning framework for all of West Dunbartonshire, with the exception of that part which is within the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, in accordance with the provisions of the Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning Etc. (Scotland) Act 2006. Government legislation has accorded greater emphasis to the Development Plan in the consideration of planning applications and there is a presumption in favour of developments that accord with the Development Plan. The Development Plan consists of the Structure Plan and the Local Plan, and together they provide a framework within which investment decisions can be made with confdence. 1.2 The Written Statement and accompanying Proposals Maps form the West Dunbartonshire Local Plan. On adoption it superseded the Dumbarton District, District Wide Local Plan, the Clydebank Local Plan and the Forth & Clyde Canal Local Plan. This Local Plan covers all of West Dunbartonshire with the exception of that part of the Council area that is located within the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, and therefore provides a single local plan framework for the area within which West Dunbartonshire Council is the planning authority. It is the frst time a single plan has been produced for this area, and it has drawn on previous planning documents including existing Local Plans. In preparing this Plan, the Council has taken the opportunity to consolidate its existing Plans and related land-use strategies, the benefts of which include: • providing a consistent policy framework across the Council area; • permitting a strategic approach to Council wide issues; • concentrating Local Plan resources on preparing a single document; • enabling a single programme of work to prepare, review and monitor the Plan; and • ensuring that West Dunbartonshire is covered by an up to date Local Plan. 1.3 The Scottish Government, through the Scottish Planning Policy document, believes the following of the modernised planning system: • it should be genuinely plan-led, with succinct development plans setting out ambitious, long-term visions for their area; • that the primary responsibility for the planning system is with local and national park authorities; • confdence in the system needs to be reinforced through: the efcient and predictable preparation of plans and handling of applications; transparency 7 West Dunbartonshire Local Plan in decision making; and reliable enforcement of the law and planning decisions; • that constraints and requirements should be necessary and proportionate; • that engagement should be undertaken as early and as fully as possible; and • there should be a clear focus on quality of outcomes. 1.4 Scottish Planning Policy expects development plans to: • have a sharp focus on land and infrastructure; • concentrat e on what will happen, where and why; • make more use of maps and plans to explain and justify the long term settlement strategy; and • contain policies and proposals that will achieve predictable outcomes. 1.5 Local Plans require to be prepared by Councils in order to identify opportunities for development and to maintain and enhance the quality of the environment. Local Plans are also required to be responsive to local circumstances and promote appropriate change, and therefore policies must be relevant to the area, but provide fexibility to deal with the circumstances that may arise over the lifetime of the Plan. This Local Plan sets out the Council’s view of the detailed policies and proposals for the development and use of land in West Dunbartonshire. Though it takes account of a range of economic, social and environmental issues, the Local Plan is primarily concerned with land-use matters. The Plan seeks to accommodate future investment in a way that is sustainable, respects the existing character of the area and enhances the quality of life within the Plan area. It does this by: • Setting out Council planning policies. These policies indicate the Council’s aspirations both in discharging its own functions and regulating the land use activities of others, and providing a detailed land-use planning framework for making consistent planning decisions. • Setting out Development Opportunities. The Plan outlines a series of development opportunities including recent projects for which planning consent has been granted, and areas where the Council wish to see development taking place. These may or may not be the subject of detailed development proposals, but are areas where the Council will support redevelopment provided it is in accordance with the policy framework of the Plan. 8 01 Introduction 1.6 The Plan also provides information on specifc constraints to development in order that those matters, which may infuence development decisions, can be clearly identifed. Matters such as Conservation Areas, Tree Preservation Orders, Listed Buildings, Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Health and Safety Restrictions and Nature Conservation Designations are identifed whilst key statistics are listed in the Technical Supplement. 1.7 West Dunbartonshire Council has aspirations for how it wishes the area to be promoted and protected in terms of the development and use of land and property until the year 2015, a period during which signifcant changes are anticipated. This land-use planning framework is set out within the Development Plan for West Dunbartonshire. The Development Plan consists of the Glasgow & the Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan and the West Dunbartonshire Local Plan. The Structure Plan has been prepared jointly with other local authorities within the Glasgow & the Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee and the third Alteration to the approved Structure Plan was approved by Scottish Ministers in April 2008. A considerable amount of work has been directed towards preparing these separate parts of the Development Plan concurrently, with the West Dunbartonshire Local Plan being prepared in tandem with the Glasgow & the Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2006 to ensure consistency between the two documents. In addition this Local Plan has been prepared by West Dunbartonshire Council in consultation with its key partners and stakeholders. 1.8 The Council has sought to harness new technologies and has therefore used, and will continue to make use of, the internet and other information and communication technologies to publicise the Plan and make it available to as wide an audience as possible. 1.9 The Council intends that the West Dunbartonshire Local Plan should set out a detailed land-use framework for development to 2015. It must be recognised however that many policies will continue to have relevance beyond this date. The Council is committed to the regular monitoring and review of the Development Plan covering West Dunbartonshire to ensure that the policy framework remains relevant and up-to-date. 9 02 The Development Strategy 02 The Development Strategy 2.1 West Dunbartonshire extends to some 178 sq. km. (68 sq. miles) with a population of around 91,100 in 2008. In terms of land coverage it is the fourth smallest Council in Scotland. The area forms the most north western part of the Glasgow & Clyde Valley conurbation and is considered the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. Despite its small geographic area, West Dunbartonshire contains a diverse range of land-uses, natural and built resources, and a mix of dense urban form, rugged moorland and spectacular watercourses. At its northernmost boundary at Loch Lomond runs the Highland Boundary fault, where the change from highland to lowland is evident. 2.2 West Dunbartonshire is an area of contrast, with the Kilpatrick Hills and its rugged moorlands forming the backdrop to the valleys of the Rivers Clyde and Leven, where the majority of West Dunbartonshire residents live. The area has some of the most outstanding countryside in lowland Scotland, with around 40% of land classifed as open countryside. The area was once a key industrial location in terms of shipbuilding and heavy engineering and the term ‘Clydebuilt’ was recognition of the quality that the workforce of the area produced. Indeed at its peak the area outshone anywhere else in the world in terms of output per capita. 2.3 Currently West Dunbartonshire ofers much as a place to live, work or visit. Businesses consider the area combines a solid employee base with an attractive physical environment and reasonable house prices. It has good links to the motorway network, Glasgow airport and to the city of Glasgow which shares a boundary with West Dunbartonshire. The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is located directly north of the Plan area. The National Park is a national asset in terms of natural resources and the quality of outdoor recreation and provides opportunities for West Dunbartonshire, which could be signifcant in terms of the local tourist industry. 2.4 With the decline of traditional industries, the area has experienced a series of challenges in recent times, and West Dunbartonshire is one of the most deprived local authority areas in Scotland when measured against the most widely accepted indicators. However the Council, in partnership with other key agencies, has formed a series of strategic alliances to improve the area, and make a real impact on the problems experienced. The regeneration initiatives at Clydebank Riverside, Dumbarton Waterfront, Strathleven and Alexandria are all examples where urban renewal and regeneration can make a substantial impact on environmental quality, and where new homes, jobs and services can be created for the beneft of all.