Planning and Environmental Appeals Division Telephone: 01324 696455 Fax: 01324 696444 E-mail: [email protected] Mr N McIlvanney/Mr T Gilmour North Ayrshire Council Sent By E-mail Our ref: LDP-310-2 10 July 2019 Dear Mr McIlvanney/Mr Gilmour PROPOSED NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (DEVELOPMENT PLANNING) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2008 SUBMISSION OF THE REPORT OF THE EXAMINATION We refer to our appointment by the Scottish Ministers to conduct the examination of the above proposed plan. Having satisfied ourselves that the planning authority’s consultation and engagement exercises conformed with their participation statement our examination of the proposed plan commenced on 17 December 2018. We have completed the examination and now submit our report. In our examination we considered all 18 issues arising from unresolved representations identified by yourselves to the Proposed Local Development Plan. In each case we have taken account of the original representations, as well as your summaries of the representations and your responses to such, and we have set out our conclusions and recommendations in relation to each issue in our report. The examination process included site inspections and requests for additional information from the yourselves and other parties. We did not require to hold any hearing or inquiry sessions. Subject to the limited exceptions as set out in Section 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended) and in the Town and Country Planning (Grounds for Declining to Follow Recommendations) (Scotland) Regulations 2009, you are now required to make the modifications to the plan as set out in our recommendations. You should also make any consequential modifications to the text or maps which arise from these modifications. Separately, you will require to make any necessary adjustments to the final environmental report and to the report on the appropriate assessment of the plan. 4 The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk, FK1 1XR DX 557005 Falkirk www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk= abcde abc a www.gov.scot/Topics/Planning/Appeals All those who submitted representations will be informed that the examination has been completed and that the report has been submitted to yourselves. We will advise them that the report is now available to view at the DPEA website and will also be posted on your website. The documents relating to the examination should be retained on your website for a period of six weeks following the adoption of the plan by yourselves. It would also be helpful to know when the plan has been adopted and we would appreciate being sent confirmation of this in due course. Yours sincerely Karen Black Allison Coard Alasdair Edwards Rob Huntley REPORTER REPORTER REPORTER REPORTER 4 The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk, FK1 1XR DX 557005 Falkirk www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk= abcde abc a www.gov.scot/Topics/Planning/Appeals Planning and Environmental Appeals Division REPORT TO NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL ON THE PROPOSED NORTH AYRSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN EXAMINATION Reporters: Karen Black BA(Hons) MRTPI Allison Coard MA MPhil MRTPI Alasdair Edwards MA(Hons) MRTPI Rob Huntley BSc DipTP MRTPI Date of Report: 10 July 2019 CONTENTS Page No Examination of Conformity with Participation Statement 1 Issue 01 Housing 5 02 Strategic Policies and Mapping 27 Detailed Policies Chapter 1: A Successful, Sustainable North Ayrshire – 03 44 housing matters contained within Issue 1 04 Detailed Policies - Chapter 2 48 05 Detailed Policies: More Connected Chapter 69 06 Detailed Policies: A Low Carbon North Ayrshire Chapter 75 07 Arran 84 08 Beith 117 09 Burnhouse 126 10 Fairlie 140 11 Hunterston 148 Irvine (including Irvine Strategic Development Areas, incorporating Ardeer 12 173 Peninsula) 13 Kilbirnie 190 14 Kilwinning 199 15 Largs 209 16 Three Towns (Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston) 216 17 West Kilbride 228 18 PLDP Schedules 260 PROPOSED NORTH AYRSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Examination of conformity with the participation statement Legislative context 1. Section 19(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended) firstly requires an examination by the appointed person (reporter) of whether the planning authority has consulted on the proposed local development plan and involved the public in the way it said it would in its participation statement. 2. Section 20B of the Act requires each planning authority to prepare a development plan scheme at least annually. The scheme should set out the authority’s programme for preparing and reviewing its development plan, and must include a participation statement. This publication should state when, how and with whom consultation on the plan will take place, and the authority’s proposals for public involvement in the plan preparation process. 3. Scottish Government Circular 6/2013 on Development Planning states that “The Act restricts the Examination to the actions of the authority concerning consultation and public engagement in respect of the Proposed Plan, rather than the extended plan preparation process. In carrying out this assessment, Scottish Ministers envisage that the reporter will only refer to existing published documents such as the Participation Statement itself, the authority’s statement of conformity with this, and any representations relating to the authority’s consultation and public involvement activities”. The participation statement 4. The North Ayrshire Development Plan Scheme March 2018 was current when the proposed North Ayrshire Local Development Plan was placed on deposit for representation on 30 April 2018 (following full council approval on 17 April 2018). 5. The purpose of the development plan scheme of March 2018 was to explain what the proposed plan was; outline the key stages in preparing the local development plan; set the timetable for the plan; and provide a participation statement, outlining when, how and with whom the council would consult on the plan including a consultation period of 8 weeks from late April 2018. 6. Within the scheme a participation statement expressed a desire to “involve as many people as possible” including the general public; community councils across the authority; locality partnerships; government consultees and agencies; businesses, landowners, developers, agents and residents’ associations; and other interested groups or individuals. The statement identified the following methods to encourage public involvement: Provision of consultation documents on the council website and in every public library and council offices. Notification of landowners/leaseholders within 20 metres of proposed allocations. Provision of simple forms for interested parties to submit their views. Continued information distribution on significant progress on the plan. Publication of contact information to allow questions and provide answers about the proposed plan. Utilisation of social media to reach new audiences. Holding public meetings at convenient times and locations. Ensuring information sent out on the proposed plan was clear. 1 PROPOSED NORTH AYRSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Working with other council services and volunteer groups to encourage people to get involved. Publication of opportunities for public comment using a wide range of techniques including adverts in the local press; statutory notices; the council website; email; social media; and posters. The report of conformity 7. Together with the proposed local development plan, section 18(4)(a)(i) of the Act requires an authority to submit a report to Scottish Ministers demonstrating the extent that the authority has met the needs of section 19(4). On this basis, North Ayrshire Council has submitted a ‘Report of Conformity with Participation Statement’. 8. The report of conformity confirms that the council ran a representation period of more than the 6 week statutory period, from 30 April 2018 to 29 June 2018, to allow for the submission of comments to the proposed plan. The following actions were undertaken during this period: The proposed plan was made available on the council’s website. A story map interactive version of the proposed plan was published online on 4 May 2018 including links to the plan; photographs/images; and interactive mapping. Library staff were given instruction on the online proposed plan and associated forms with hard copies provided to each library in the week commencing 7 May 2018. Hard copies of the proposed plan were distributed to each of the community councils on 17 May 2018. A hard copy was also available throughout the consultation period at the council’s offices in Irvine. A copy was also made available at the Lamlash office following a public request. 287 properties were notified in relation to proposals with a standard letter addressed to the owner, lessee and occupier. A letter was sent to 25 representatives of 13 community councils and 173 other interested parties about the consultation on the proposed plan on 1 May 2018. Key agencies were also informed of the consultation on this date. Press notices advertising the consultation on the proposed plan were placed in the Irvine Times; Irvine Herald; Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald; Largs and Millport News; and the Arran Banner. Twelve public drop-in consultation events were held between 15 May 2018 and 12 June 2018 in suitable venues and at accessible times. Simple forms were made available at drop-in sessions and online alongside an online survey form to allow ease of access and response.