New Community Action Plan ALP Map Community Action Plan

In New Pitsligo there are three main opportunities for new development. • Site eh 1 is suitable for around 12 houses • Site eh2 is suitable for around 10 houses • Site eh3 is suitable for around 10 houses • Future housing land shown as Site fh1 2 Introduction Community Action Plan

The village of New Pitsligo (or and successfully implementing Cyaak as it is called locally) has a projects has resulted in a population of just over1,000 and number of good projects is situated just off on the A950 including a new Play Area in the to Banff road in the centre of the village and an All- area of . It weather sports facility next to was founded in the mid18th the school. There is a very century becoming famous as a active, productive Community Lace makers. thriving centre of lace making, Council and many other groups being at one time the largest which create a vibrancy in the village in . community.

New Pitsligo today As with many communities there New Pitsligo is still a thriving are also problems of socio- community with local goods and economic deprivation with services, including a well-known resulting health and housing bakery and one of Buchan’s most problems. With this in mind the successful social enterprises, The active Community Council, View of New Pitsligo. 4 Cs café. The Public Hall and St together with Buchan John’s Centre host many Development Partnership, activities from the usual leisure facilitated a community and activity groups to bigger consultation using the Planning events such as the popular for Real® process in 2005. The annual Visual Arts Exhibition outcomes from this, together which attracts visitors from all with the results of an inter- over the north-east and beyond. agency workshop looking at The traditional industry of lace- service needs in the area, were making is still practised with used by the community to create classes held to pass the skills on a prioritised Action Plan to help to young people. The initiative the community to focus on and of local people in raising funds develop their future goals.

Parish Church Things we like about our Things we don’t like : community (as given by various members of the community of different ages): “Good educational facilities eg school, “Speeding traffic through our village” library” “Dog mess on the pavements” “Good local facilities at competitive “Not enough buses” rates” “We’re too isolated” “It is a close, friendly community” “Hard working, traditional community” “The Four Cs and St John’s Day Care are great for community spirit” Planning for Real© model. 3 Buchan Area Local Plan Community Action Plan

New Pitsligo: Buchan Area with the local communities, local Plan 2006-2009 community groups, and the community planning partners - The Area Plan for the Buchan Grampian Fire and Rescue, NHS Area shows the Council’s Grampian, Grampian Police, intentions for developments and Scottish Water, Scottish projects with the Area for the Enterprise Grampian, Countryside new New Pitsligo. forthcoming three years. The Communities Scotland, BRIDGE Plan is laid out under five (CVS), Buchan Development headings: Jobs and Economy, Partnership and the Buchan Learning, Community Wellbeing, Community Councils Sustainable Environment and Developing our Partnership. Although the latest version does not include actions specifically It is drawn up by the Area for New Pitsligo, many of the Committee and officers of the identified priorities within the Council, based on consultation plan may affect New Pitsligo

Primary School. General Intentions

Heading/Lead ServiceAction/Project

Jobs & The Economy Central Buchan Industrial Potential

Learning Halls and Recreational Use Play Areas

Community Wellbeing Rural Housing Needs Residents/Tenants Groups Central Buchan Project Meeting the needs of Older People Substance Misuse Youth Shelters Community Safety Plan Addressing Anti-Social Behaviour

Sustainable Environment Local Transport Strategy Rural Buchan Regeneration Strategy Environmental Improvements

The Library.

The Square. 4 Top Five Priorities Community Action Plan

The top four priorities to beat” was highlighted by the emerge from the consultation community although current are outlined below operational priorities for the police would seem to make this Traffic calming in residential unlikely. The community would streets/near school (Theme: like to work with the Police Traffic and Transport) around all the issues identified in Traffic speed along the mile-long this category and highlighted Traffic in High Street. High Street was identified as a later in this plan. major problem, creating a significant danger to pedestrians. Improvement of Public Hall The community would like to (Theme: Community Facilities) work with the Council to The Public Hall is extremely explore measures to reduce well-used and is home to a traffic speed particularly in the number of local groups including High Street and to improve the Boys’ Football Club as well safety for pedestrians crossing as the venue for various this road and that near the fundraising events including High Street. school. coffee mornings, dances and the Annual Visual Arts Exhibition. Transport (Theme: Traffic and However after many years of Transport) constant use it is now in some The provision of public need of refurbishment to transport is very poor despite provide a modern, sustainable the low percentage of car facility accessible to all. ownership compared with Aberdeenshire as a whole The community aims to work (17.9% compared with 29%).This with funding providers to was identified in both the Traffic improve this facility for the and Jobs and the Economy benefit of the community. section. There is a need for an improved bus service for the area together with addition and relocation of existing bus stops. Police Station.

Security Cameras and Police Foot patrols (Theme: Crime) Together with traffic issues this issue provoked the largest number of comments. The Buchan area has the second highest proportion of reported crime of all Aberdeenshire’s six areas. The need for a much more visible police presence “on the Public Hall. 5 Other Issues Community Action Plan

Other Issues used to its full capacity to bring maximum benefit to the Many other suggestions received residents and that it was support, and these are list on adequately protected from pages 6-9. A summarised Action vandalism Plan can be found on pages 10-11. • A gap in activities and Community Facilities meeting places for teenage St John’s Centre. and activities children exists and boys especially appear to be less General: This category catered for. 15% of those provoked the greatest response responding were keen to see in the consultation with a total some form of of 345 suggestions for skateboarding/ improvements. The theme rollerblading park within produced one top priority (see the community. page 5). Play Park. • A community newsletter The consultation revealed that and community people felt excluded from noticeboard were certain social and recreational suggested as being a good activities because they did not way of disseminating have access to cars and public information. transport was expensive and irregular. • The Play Area in the centre of the village, created through • The St John’s Centre is the funding raised by a base for the numerous village community group, is popular activities including Playgroups, and the community see this as Daycare , evening classes and a valuable facility which needs other support groups. There to be maintained. was strong feeling that this building could be used more Other responses under this Children enjoying Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). and access should be available category include: throughout the whole year • provision of a Cash Point with more classes available. • Internet café • youth theatre • A new Multi-Use Games • 9 hole golf course. Area was opened in 2005 which will provide an invaluable facility for sports and health initiatives in the future. The consultation indicated that the community Community Newsletter group receiving funding award. want to ensure that this is 6 Other Issues Community Action Plan

Jobs & the Economy • Dog Bins - dog dirt is seen as a major problem. There is General: Monthly NOMIS a need to advertise where figures show that unemployment dog bins are and provide in the area is low but this does more bins in suitable places. not mean incomes are Offenders need to be necessarily high as Central reported to Dog warden, Buchan is ranked 13th worst in with more notices detailing Four C’s Cafe. terms of income in the Scottish location of bins Index of Multiple Deprivation. • The Millennium Garden in New Pitsligo has a good mix of the centre of the village is an community services with a attractive feature but needs variety of shops, including a very to be tidied successful social enterprise, the • The Denburn in the centre 4Cs cafe, a primary school and of the village was a feature in GP surgery although the bank times past but has now an has recently closed and the unkempt appearance, with the consultation showed a demand pathways requiring for a non-charging Cash Point in maintenance. The community Millennium Garden. the village. There is no land would like provision made zoned for industry and attracting for seating and picnic areas to businesses to the area may be encourage walkers and difficult in the current climate. recreational users. However the land is privately owned • Lack of availability of and there seems no prospect childcare in the immediate of this taking place in the near area was highlighted as a future. problem and one that might • Cemetery - general prevent people from appearance needs to be working. improved. • Lack of public transport • Recycling facilities in the to get people to work early village need to be improved enough although the new A2B and expanded with possible bus service might improve relocation of the skips. The Den in times gone by. this. • Walks in/around the village need to be identified and Local Environment mapped out.

General: The comments in this Other issues include: category focussed mainly on the • increasing the hours of the need for a general tidy-up and village orderly, clean-up of the area, although • community composting the provision of a village orderly • pruning of shrubs at junctions made a big difference in the summer months. Specifically: A nearby country walk. 7 Other Issues Community Action Plan

Health & Wellbeing of events that have already housing in any future taken place developments, through General: There are a number of • Parenting and life-style planning decisions and health issues in New Pitsligo classes have proved collaboration with which mainly arise through the successful and are helpful in developers and agencies. socio-economic deprivation of addressing some of the • 16% also felt that there was a the area. Hospital admissions for problem issues in this lack of provision of emergencies, alcohol and drug category. These needed Sheltered Housing. misuse are higher in New to be continued and built upon. However, in terms of priority Pitsligo than for Aberdeenshire need and demand New as a whole. Housing Pitsligo is ranked well down the priority list (10th in • In common with other areas General: The majority of Buchan). The community of the north east there is a dwellings in New Pitsligo fall would like to explore this great concern at the lack of within the Band A grouping with further. NHS dental provision in house prices much cheaper than • The consultation also the area. It was also felt that the average figure across highlighted that there was there was a lack of space at Aberdeenshire. concern over the number of the doctor’s surgery and “problem families” being better provision needs to be Although numbers commenting housed in the village. There is made for chiropody and other on housing matters within the a high turnover rate of 24% clinics. consultation were not as large as within the Council Housing in • The need for better other categories, there were New Pitsligo. The Council is interagency com- several issues which had a high bound by Government munication between service percentage of comment. legislation and the Council’s providers in the health was own procedures to provide identified . A Joint The community would like to accommodation to families in Assessment Team(JAT) work with Tenancy Support need, including those with initiative would be another Workers and Housing Officers perceived ”social” problems, way of bringing key services from Aberdeenshire Council to and the surplus housing in together, especially when look at these issues. New Pitsligo is often used to dealing with specific cases. fill this need, resulting in • Awareness of existing • 27% of those responding some problems within the services: It is important to indicated a lack of provision community. utilise existing services such for flats for young people. as Sure Start and explore At present they are being Other issues included: liaising with other non- housed in old people’s units • a concern that gardens and statutory services eg SACRO which is causing problems for outside areas within the and more people need to be both parties. Council House areas were aware of the services • 16% felt that there was a lack not being maintained to a available. of affordable housing in the reasonable standard and that • More youth events need to area for first-time buyers .The there was at present no be organised at the new community would like steps Tenants and Residents MUGA (Multi use games to be taken to encourage Asssociation in New Pitsligo. area) building on this success provision of affordable 8 Other Issues Community Action Plan

Traffic & Transport level crime and anti-social behaviour. The need for a This theme produced a two greater police presence came priorities (see page 5) in out as one of the top priorities addition to the proposals below. (see page 5) Other issues raised In most cases the actions can included: only be put into effect through • Drug-use is a concern and partnership working mainly with under-age drinking in View to Den Bridge. Aberdeenshire Council. public places such as the Den and the play park area. There General: Despite its rural is a belief that the Police location there is a much higher should have a greater proportion of people with no presence and take more cars as compared with action against antisocial Aberdeenshire as a whole (29% behaviour. This also links with as compared to 17.9%). but the issues raised in the Housing provision of public transport section of the plan. These service is poor with a bus related issues provide an Forbes Court Sheltered Housing. service only every 2 hours to opportunity for joint action link in to services to . by various Community Planning partners. • Pavements need to be • There is a fear of reporting lowered around the bakery crime, a feeling that the and leading to Highfield and system in place to report Clinton to provide crime to the headquarters at wheelchair access. Bucksburn is too onerous and • There are problems with also that police response is bicycles being ridden on too slow making it “not pavements causing a danger worth reporting”. to the public and trailers • Neighbourhood Watch parked on streets Scheme was suggested as a • Resurfacing required in possible means by which the some streets including High community could help the © St to Low St on Alexander police to maintain law and Residents at Planning for Real . Bell Place. Lanes are also in order by providing information. bad condition. • Vandalism of buildings and cars particularly around the Crime & Community school area was identified as Safety a problem. This may be General: The Buchan area has helped by the Scheme the second highest proportion of outlined above. reported crime of all Aberdeenshire’s 6 areas and the consultation highlighted a number of problems of low Bowling Green. 9 Action Plan Summary Community Action Plan Outside Agency Provision of Cashpoint at bank Improve appearance of Denburn key services together to deal with problems. Centre fabric of hall Provide more activities at MUGA in centre Maintenance of play area Examine possible provision of skateboardimg facilities to return work. Gardens Develop a network of walks in andaround villageof upkeep and appearance Improve Better provision of Dog Bins andimproved signing of existing bins Improve Recycling facilities Cemetery Improvement of Improvement use of St John’s More Research possibility of community composting of Increase existingawareness services. Continuing parenting and life- Better interagency communication to bring style classes IndependentInternet cafe Partnership & Activity community noticeboard 2.EconomyThe & Jobs 3.Environment Local Childcare provision to enable peopletransport public Improved Improve appearance of Millenniumjunctions at shrubs Pruning 1. Community Facilities Community newsletter and 4. Health

10 Action Plan Summary Community Action Plan oblem reflect the four top priorities bold Items in Affordable housing for first-time buyers Better Sheltered Housing provision “pr the housing of Concern over families” in the village. calming in High Street and Traffic residential streets particularly around the school. Transport of better Public Provision atlowered certain junctions Pavements Resurfacing required in some areas. More police foot patrol/greater presence in the village rtnership -age atch Scheme unity Safety Pa Grampian Police Grampian Fire & Rescue Service NHS Grampian Scottish Enterprise Grampian Other agencies: Comm blem with bicycles being ridden ackle drug-dealing, under ackle drug-dealing, Examine possibility of establishing aAssotiaion in and Residents Tenants people young for Flats New Pitsligo on the pavement Neighbourhood W tation Pro astructure Work ation Safety drinking and vandalism Partners who may help to deliver the above Aberdeenshire Council services: Education & Recreation Housing & Social Law & Administr Law & Planning & Environmental Services & Infr Transportation 5. Housing 6. Traffic & Transpor & Traffic 6. 7. Crime & Community T

11 Design by purple creative design - 01261 851051. Making ItReal content ofeachcommunityplan For mostcommunitiesthe professionally printedformat. attractive, easytoread, community actionsplansinan Forum. Development Co-ordinators Community Economic and runby Planning PartnershipandShell, Aberdeenshire Community The initiativeissponsoredby Making ItReal. community underthebanner Partnerships togetherwiththe produced byLocalRural This bookletisoneofaseries Making ItReal The aimisto Aber deenshire T: 01771613666 provide Area Office AreaOffice BUCHAN DEVELOPMENTPARTNERSHIP • Nethermuir Road Planning forReal is basedontheresultsof resources willbeneededand who shouldbeinvolved,what issue thiswillinvolveagreeing identified. Foreachpriorityor issues whichhave been well asaddressingtheother implement thetopprioritiesas detailed actionsplansto Planning Partners the communityandCommunity This informationcannowguide are trulycommunity-led. process ensuresthattheplans other available r themselves togetherwithany carried outbythecommunities Pitsligo CommunityCouncil organising thePlanningfor and otherlocalhelpersfor • meetings, andproviding a F:01771613204 Thanks areduetoNew wealth ofbackground Real information onthe ® community. andsubsequent eports. eports. ® in drawing up in drawing exercises • This Maud • E:[email protected] Supported byShell • AB42 4ND AB42 Community Action Plan Community Action updated. to beregularlyreviewedand consultation, and views atthetimeoflatest account ofthecomm is seenbyallconcernedasan It isimportantthatthisbooklet from therelevantPartners. moral, technicalandfinancial– community withsupport– driven byrepresentativesofthe hoped thatthisprocesswillbe target datesforcompletion.Itis community plan. future versionsofthe arise andtaketheirplacein completed, otherissueswill As someprojects are that itwillhave unity’s