Proposed Local Development Plan 2 Main Issues Report October
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Proposed 2020 Local Development Plan 2 Main Issues Report October - December 2019 Report of Consultation September 2020 Local Development Plan 2 Report of Consultation Stage 2 – Main Issues Report October – December 2019 Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 3 1. Background and Purpose .................................................................................................................. 16 2. Consultation Awareness Raising ....................................................................................................... 18 3. Engagement Methods ....................................................................................................................... 20 4. Key Findings ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 28 Bearsden ........................................................................................................................................... 36 Bishopbriggs ...................................................................................................................................... 47 Kirkintilloch, Lenzie and Waterside ................................................................................................... 72 Lennoxtown, Milton of Campsie, Haughhead and Clachan of Campsie ......................................... 113 Milngavie ......................................................................................................................................... 128 Torrance and Baldernock ................................................................................................................ 140 Twechar ........................................................................................................................................... 147 How can we address housing need in the right location? .............................................................. 157 How can we create vibrant and successful Town Centres? ............................................................ 194 How can we best prepare for the impacts of climate change? ...................................................... 199 How best can we ensure land is available for business development? .......................................... 216 Can we be more proactive in developing our visitor economy? .................................................... 226 Should we carry out a review of historic environment designations? ........................................... 230 Minor areas of change – Comments ............................................................................................... 235 What is not changing? – Comments ............................................................................................... 243 General Comments ......................................................................................................................... 245 5. Next Steps ....................................................................................................................................... 249 2 Executive Summary Introduction On 26 September 2019, East Dunbartonshire Council approved the Local Development Plan 2 ‘Main Issues Report’ (MIR) for publication and consultation. Subsequently, the Council’s Land Planning Policy team organised public consultation on the MIR between October and December 2019. The MIR sets out a series of planning policy options for future development throughout East Dunbartonshire and is a key step in preparing a new Local Development Plan for the area. This will succeed the current Local Development Plan (2017), which must be replaced by February 2022. The consultation period lasted for 8 weeks, from 15 October until 10 December 2019. The main objectives of this consultation process were to: Seek views on the Council’s preferred and alternative options; Provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to help shape the overall development strategy for LDP 2; Provide an opportunity for any further site suggestions; and Engage with local communities and other interested parties on the Local Development Plan process The outcomes of this consultation have helped inform the content of the Proposed LDP 2, which represents the Council’s settled view on a planning and development strategy for East Dunbartonshire. Consultation Awareness Raising The Council aimed to gather views from as many people and groups as possible in order to help shape the forthcoming Local Development Plan for East Dunbartonshire. The Council raised awareness of this consultation through the following means: An extensive social media programme which had a combined social media reach of over 280,000 people Press releases describing the consultation and details of how to get involved Distributing details of the consultation in the Local Development Plan newsletter which is sent to over 600 individuals and organisations Direct mailing to community councils, local groups and organisations Producing a leaflet which was widely distributed across East Dunbartonshire Creating a dedicated consultation webpage which included all relevant information on how to participate Contacting key agencies and stakeholders to raise awareness and encourage participation in the consultation Consultation Methods A range of methods were used to gather views throughout this consultation. A summary of these methods, including estimates of the number of people who engaged in each, are detailed in the table below. 3 Method Description Approximate number of people who engaged Community Council Officers invited all community 11 session councils to an information sessions Community drop-in Seven drop-in sessions were held 253 sessions across the authority area Questionnaire Online and paper questionnaire 256 seeking views on the consultation Email responses Responses from individuals and 526 organisations were accepted by email Schools Workshop Interactive workshop facilitated 19 by Council officers Total 1065 Key Outcomes by Community Area The figure below shows the total number of questionnaire responses and drop-in session attendances for each community area. Total Questionnaire Responses and Drop-Ins Attendances 180 165 157 160 140 120 100 80 64 60 38 35 40 24 20 3 0 Bearsden Milngavie Lennoxtown, Kirkintilloch, Torrance Bishopbriggs Twechar Milton of Lenzie and Campsie, Waterside Haughhead and Clachan of Campsie The main planning themes that emerged in each community area and policy theme are summarised below. Objectives There was broad support for the preferred option relating to the objectives. A number of respondents did however support the reasonable alternative option for LDP2 to ’deliver good quality homes that meet local needs, including a range of tenures and house types through modest growth’. One respondent did not agree with either preferred or alternative option for housing, arguing that the alternative option wrongly implies that by providing more housing it will be less sustainable than the preferred option. It was argued that the objectives and strategy of LDP2 must focus on the delivery of sustainable sites for housing, but which have demonstrated 4 that they are effective and can be delivered, on brownfield and greenfield sites. Brownfield sites in greenbelt should be made available for single house development. Other responses outlined a desire to see improvement to blue/ green infrastructure, air quality and avoidance of flood risk mentioned under objectives, although appreciate they are picked up under specific policies. There were also requests for the health and wellbeing objective to be broadened to refer to the historic environment. Some responses also expressed a preference for maintaining a ‘design-led’ approach to development and the importance of the provision and enhancement of multi-functional green networks in good place-making. Several respondents identify that their site proposal can contribute to meeting these objectives. Bearsden Bearsden Town Centre Strategy: There was clear support for the preferred option, to integrate the town centre strategy within LDP2. A range of suggestions on how to improve the town centre were also provided. New Housing: The Council received a large number of responses in support of the Council’s preferred option from local residents, community organisations and key agencies. In particular, most responses expressed concern about the potential impact of various proposed sites submitted at the ‘call-for-sites’ stage, including the area known locally as ‘Craigdhu Wedge’. Taken together, these concerns covered a wide range of issues and broadly speaking related to one or more of the following: Protection of the greenbelt and importance of preserving open space and recreation land The area cannot accommodate more housing New development would have an unacceptable impact on road traffic and local infrastructure Increased pressure on local services and community facilities including GP surgeries, schools, nurseries and other health facilities Lack of water and waste water infrastructure capacity Negative impact on local air quality Loss of agricultural land Negative impact on woodland, wildlife habitats and biodiversity New development would lead to increased