CONTENTS page Stages in Production of a Local Plan 1 Introduction 3 Part 1 A Sustainable Development Strategy for Dundee 5 Part 2 Living in Dundee 17 Working in Dundee 49 Shopping in Dundee 69 The Environment of Dundee 95 Accessibility in Dundee 135 Appendices 1 Design of New Housing 153 2 Brownfield Housing Development Proposals 155 3 Greenfield Housing Development Proposals 157 4 Guidelines for New Private Nurseries 167 5 District Centres and Core Frontages 169 6 Natural Heritage Designations 173 7 Supplementary Planning Guidance 175 8 Glossary 177 STAGES IN PRODUCTION OF A LOCAL PLAN PRELIMINARY VIEWS Council publish a notice of intention to prepare a local plan. Council seek to involve people in the draft plan preparation and actively seek views from interested parties such as community councils 38 CONSULTATION ON DRAFT Council consult widely on draft proposals. Public may comment (four weeks minimum) Council answer comments and finalise draft plan. 70 Council put finalised draft plan on deposit. DEPOSIT OF FINALISED PLAN Public may object (six weeks). Council consider objections. 100 PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY Local Plan Inquiry looks at objections. REPORT Reporter sends report to Council. 125 MODIFICATIONS Council consider report and suggest modifications. a full local plan, in weeks Likely timescale to prepare FINAL STAGES Council consult on modifications (six weeks) which may mean a further inquiry if people object. 152 ADOPTION Council adopt Plan. MONITOR AND REVIEW Council monitor and review the adopted local plan. This will indicate when a plan requires to be altered or replaced. back to contents page Dundee Local Plan Review 2005 1 2 Dundee Local Plan Review 2005 back to contents page INTRODUCTION The Finalised Dundee Local Plan Review seeks to take forward and build on the strengths and successes pioneered by the Dundee Local Plan adopted in 1998. The Finalised Plan sets out detailed policies and proposals for land use and development in the City for the period to 2011. The new arrangement of joint working introduced after the reorganisation of local government in 1996 has resulted in co-operation with Angus Council to produce a new Structure Plan for the combined areas. Scottish Ministers approved the Dundee and Angus Structure Plan in October 2002. Dundee, as the major City and Regional Centre for this part of North East Scotland, extends an influence even wider than the Structure Plan area. The City’s catchment area has a major influence on travel to work and shopping decisions, and the housing market area extends well into the boundaries of Fife and Perth and Kinross. This influence is recognised in the Scottish Executive’s Review of Strategic Planning which proposes that a strategic development plan be prepared for the Dundee City Region. Through the Development Strategy outlined in the Structure Plan, the problems of declining population and stimulating economic growth continue to be tackled head on and it is incumbent on this Plan to take forward these issues and detail positive measures to combat them. While underlying trends may reflect a national picture and cannot be countered by land use policies alone in the short term, there have been significant achievements that point to the areas in which back to contents page Dundee Local Plan Review 2005 3 planning plays a significant role in improving the everyday lives of the citizens of the City. It is that area of added value that this Plan seeks to promote, concentrating on the areas where planning can be most effective. It is the intention of this Plan to continue to progress these themes, to stress the positive and to encourage the future development of the City in an attractive and sustainable manner. In keeping with present Scottish Executive advice, this new Plan is much shorter and more concise than its predecessor. The previous Plan was an extremely comprehensive and, as a result, lengthy document. In achieving this conciseness much more dependence will be placed on Supplementary Guidance, both that already available and some which will be produced subsequent to the Plan’s adoption. The additional benefit of this approach is that particular areas of advice on specific issues will be able to be kept much more up to date on a regular basis without having to go through the lengthy statutory processes necessary for Local Plan preparation or alteration. However, there should be no doubt regarding the status of such Guidance. It will be subject to public consultation prior to being approved by Dundee City Council, and will be given substantial weight in dealing with planning applications as a Material Consideration. This Plan now also incorporates and updates the main policies and principles of the Urban Nature Conservation Subject Local Plan 1995 (UNCSLP). While the original UNCSLP was a unique method of taking this subject matter forward, it is felt that it will be best serviced in future by inclusion in a single Local Plan. HOW TO USE THIS PLAN Part 1 of this Plan sets the Development Strategy, describing the general issues and outlining the approach the Plan will take in addressing these. Part 2 looks at specific issues and puts forward detailed policies and proposals that will be applied in the implementation of the Plan’s Strategy. Finally, it should be noted that, in keeping the written statement of the Plan as brief as possible, background material has been compiled and this forms the Technical Appendices which, while a separate document, also forms part of this Plan. 4 Dundee Local Plan Review 2005 back to contents page PART 1 1 A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR DUNDEE “Through our Partnership, Dundee: · will be a vibrant and attractive city with an excellent quality of life where people choose to live, learn, work and visit; · will offer real choice and opportunity in a city that has tackled the root causes of social and economic exclusion, creating a community which is healthy, safe, confident, educated and empowered; · will have a strong and sustainable city economy that will provide jobs for the people of Dundee, retain more of the universities’ graduates and make the city a magnet for new talent.” The Community Plan for Dundee 2001-2006 1.1 Achievement of the Community Plan’s vision for Dundee demands the advancement of a sustainable development strategy that: · recognises that action is required to build on economic progress in the City and improve employment prospects for its citizens; · understands the positive impact that the use and development of land can have on tackling social exclusion and improving the quality of life for Dundee’s residents; and · recognises that the actions of today will shape the environment enjoyed by citizens of today and tomorrow. 1.2 The Local Plan Review promotes the sustainable development of Dundee, not only in terms of the environment, but also the social and economic sustainability of the City. 1.3 In many respects the future for Dundee is positive, as the image and environment of the City improves, employment opportunities increase and the City embraces with enhanced confidence the role of Regional Centre for the surrounding area. However, it is also recognised that the City continues to face serious threats from depopulation whilst parts of Dundee remain characterised by high levels of deprivation. 1.4 As well as an overall decline in population, changes in the structure of the population challenge sustainability within the City. In particular, the proportion of the population that is economically active is decreasing (see Figure 1). This is coupled with a relative increase in socially excluded groups and those likely to need a high level of service provision. If the City is to retain and attract a higher number of young people and young families, it needs to improve its housing quality and choice, better its schooling achievements and reduce crime levels. 1.5 In implementing a sustainable development strategy, it is important to adopt an approach that focuses on the land use implications of social, economic and environmental considerations. It is striking the correct balance between these considerations that is the key. An approach that does not sufficiently recognise the importance of the City’s back to contents page Dundee Local Plan Review 2005 5 environment will be to the long term detriment of Dundee. However, different, but no less adverse consequences would result from a strategy that affords complete priority to the protection of the environment from development that may bring economic or social gain. Achieving a balanced approach to sustainable development is therefore a key challenge. Figure 1 Source : GROS 1998 based Population Projections 1.6 This Local Plan Review sets a land use context within which opportunities to further enhance the City can be grasped and initiatives to tackle depopulation and social exclusion can be positively advanced. The task is to make Dundee a place where people want to stay; a place where businesses will want to invest; a place people will be happy to visit; a place where people will be comfortable and safe. 1.7 As a result of past strategies to address population decline, Dundee already has many of the key ingredients of a successful City. It has a strong and improving City Centre that is a focus for accessing goods and services for Dundee and the wider region. There are a range of well located, good quality business locations that provide employment opportunities for residents of Dundee and the surrounding area. The City has a number of attractive residential areas that provide good quality houses accessible to a range of local services and facilities. It has a diversity of open spaces that offer excellent opportunities for relaxation and recreation, as well as enhancing the appearance of the City and sustaining wildlife.