WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE Planning and Perfomance Framework Planning and Building Standards Service July 2017 Planning Performance Framework Foreword This is the sixth reporting year of the an exciting opportunity for the service to be Dumbarton waterfront is also progressing Planning Performance Framework which in the heart of Council services and to work with three out of the four sites having outlines our performance and showcases in a modern purpose built Council office submitted detailed applications for our achievements and improvements in with A listed façade. The new Council development. 2016-17. It also outlines our service office is due to be opened on January Progress of these key development sites improvements for 2017-18. 2018. It will be good to occupy a building has put increased pressure on the service which our service has had a major influence Last year’s Planning Performance as we try to support the development of on its design. Framework was peer reviewed by Glasgow these sites with the same resources as City Council who are part of our Solace As this is the sixth Planning Performance before. The Service has been successful Benchmarking Group. This exercise was Framework I took the opportunity to revisit this year in securing the funding for a part- very useful with good feedback being our first Planning Performance Framework time Planning Compliance Officer and the received. This has helped to shape the back in September 2012. It was good to Strategic Lead of Regeneration has agreed format and content of this year’s Planning see how much progress has been made in to fund a Lead Planning Officer post for 2 Performance Framework. taking forward a number of initiatives years to deal principally with the Their feedback advised; detailed in that first Planning Performance regeneration sites. The Council have also Framework such as the Developers set a budget to provide £75,000 for the next “There is a clear format with a number and Protocol. 3 years towards setting up a Design Panel range of suitable Case Studies”. Significant progress continues with our key to improve the quality of development in Last year Planning and Building Standards regeneration sites with detailed permission West Dunbartonshire led by the Planning were moved to sit under the Strategic Lead being granted for the road infrastructure Service. for Regulatory. This has resulted in stronger and public realm works and the new care This year I lost a key member of my team links with Legal Services, Environmental home and day centre on the Queens Quay Alan Williamson the Team Leader in Health and Committee Services; however site. The new leisure centre opened in Forward Planning to a neighbouring we still work to maintain good links with our March. This replaces the former Playdrome authority. I have worked very closely with Regeneration colleagues. Planning and leisure facility in Clydebank town centre. Alan for many years and he was a key Building Standards has been identified as The new leisure facility has brought new life contributor to previous years Planning one of the services to be relocated to the and activity to this part of the waterfront, Performance Framework. I thank him for all new Dumbarton town centre office. This is and in terms of its design and layout his work in West Dunbartonshire and I wish maximises its waterfront location. him well in his future career. He has been 1 Planning Performance Framework replaced by Antony McGuiness who comes from East Ayrshire Council with extensive experience. Antony and his team has been able to produce a Main Issues Report in a very short time and he brings new ideas to the development plan process in West Dunbartonshire. We were shortlisted in the 2016 Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning for the Elected member pre application Protocol & Procedures. I hope you enjoy reading our achievements and our plans to improve the service further. I would welcome any feedback Pamela Clifford Pamela Clifford Planning and Building Standards Manager July 2017 Email: [email protected] 2 Introduction West Dunbartonshire is one of the smallest Our Vision local authorities in Scotland with just over 90,000 residents and is made up of rural, A prosperous West Dunbartonshire The Planning Service is identified as a lead urban and waterfront areas. The Planning recognised as a dynamic area within a service in delivering the first priority of Authority excludes parts of Balloch and the successful Scotland. economic growth and employability through countryside to the east and west of Loch The vision set by the Council is from the the local development plan process and Lomond which forms part of Loch Lomond Strategic Plan 2012-2017. It sets out the planning application process. and the Trossachs National Park Planning priorities for the Council in that period authority area. The Local Development Plan Proposed which we will work to progress and Plan 2016 has remained at proposed plan achieve. stage by the Council due to an issue with a housing development site in Clydebank. The Main Issues Report for Local Improve economic growth and Development Plan 2 is now out for employability consultation and this is detailed further in Improve life chances for children and the report. young people Improve care for and promote independence of older people Improve local housing and environmentally sustainable infrastructure Improve wellbeing of communities and protect the welfare of vulnerable people 3 Planning Performance Framework Chief Executive Health & Social Transformation & Regeneration, Care Partnership Public Service Reform Environmental & Growth Chief Officer Strategic Director Strategic Director Strategic Lead Strategic Lead Strategic Lead Regulatory Regeneration Planning and Building Standards Manager Pamela Clifford Team Leader Place and Design Team Leader Team Leader Technical Forward Planning Officer Development Management Building Standards Support co-ordinator Antony McGuinness (TBC) Keith Bathgate Colin Newman Irene McKechnie Antonine Planning Compliance Lead Planning Lead Building Wall HLF Policy Officer Planning Officers Building Standards Planning & Building Standards GIS Systems Project Officers Officers Standards Surveyors Support Officers Officer Officer Manager Surveyors 4 Planning Performance Framework The Planning Performance Framework (PPF) is seen as a measure of continuous improvement. The general format of the Planning Performance Framework report is determined by the Template and Guidance Notes issued in February 2017. The Planning Performance Framework has been designed to be flexible and to evolve as experience grows. The Scottish Government assess the Planning Performance Framework against a set of performance markers. These markers give an indication of good performance, good practice and help to identify priority areas for improvement action. The performance markers within the Performance Markers Report are rated green, amber or red. In order to demonstrate the importance of satisfying the 15 Performance markers the appropriate markers have been identified against evidence within the report. In addition a Performance markers checklist is contained in Appendix 1. The Case Studies throughout the Report give examples of how good practice and quality development has been achieved and reflects a high quality planning service. 5 Planning Performance Framework Part 1: Defining and measuring a high-quality planning service Quality of outcomes development of design policies, assist in towards progressing other key elements of the facilitation of charrettes and mini- the masterplan which was agreed under West Dunbartonshire Design Panel charrettes, and the co-ordination of cross- the Planning Permission in Principle. There are a number of significant disciplinary initiatives between Council developments which will be taken forward departments and with other agencies as in the next few years which will have a long well as having a small budget for project term impact on the area. Good quality work. It will contribute to early collaboration urban design is important to making and is a further improvement to the pre- successful places and well-designed application service. Support has been buildings and places make the very best given by Edinburgh City Council who have use of our resources, creating places that a long running and successful Design Panel help people and communities flourish. The and with Architecture and Design Scotland Council agreed on 24th February 2017 that (ADS) and the Improvement Service. £75,000 per year for the next 3 years would Bowling Basin Arches, Bowling be invested in a West Dunbartonshire Design Forum to ensure that quality Following on from a successful charrette development is promoted. A Design Panel which helped inform a masterplan for the This consent includes work such as will be set up and the budget will be used to Bowling Basin site, the Council continues to upgrading the listed Swing Bridge and employ a Design and Place Officer. The meet with Scottish Canals every two providing a linear park linkage from Design Panel will be used as a way to months to discuss progress. This has Bowling Basin into the existing national promote the value of quality and proven invaluable in progressing the cycle route within Bowing village, as well sustainable design which adds to phased nature of the development and to as, investigating innovative ways of everyone’s lives. It will allow people to get date has seen the restoration of railway developing the housing element of the more involved in shaping the places they arches either side of the canal and the masterplan. The development has recently live in or allow them to improve the design upgrading of public realm space around the been shortlisted in the Place category of of the buildings they will use. The Place and locks and viewpoints over the harbour and the 2017 Scottish Awards for Quality in Design Officer is presently being recruited River Clyde. Scottish Canals have recently Planning. and the person will be responsible for showcased their restoration work on the setting up the Design Panel, assist in the arches.