PENTLAND HILLS REGIONAL PARK Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan (2007-2017) Final Plan - September 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………… 1 2.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Vision……………………………………………………… 5 3.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Themes……………………………………………...……… 9 4.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Strategic Framework……………………………………… 12 5.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Prioritised Implementation Programme………………… 54 6.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Monitoring and Review…………………………………… 73 The designation of the Pentland Hills Regional Park was initially made in October 1984, but was not confi rmed until September 1986, following the outcome of a public inquiry. The designation was made under section 48(A) of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 as supported by the Pentland Hills Regional Parks (Scotland) Regulations 1981. Initially the Pentland Hills Regional Park was operated by Lothian Regional Council who prepared a Subject Local Plan to guide the Pentland Hills Regional Park policies and management. Following local government re-organisation in 1997, Lothian Regional Council was disbanded and its functions superseded by the three unitary local authorities comprising the City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and West Lothian Council. The policies relevant to the 1. Introduction Pentland Hills Regional Park contained within the former Lothian Regional Council’s Subject Local Plan were then incorporated into the local plans of the respective three new unitary authorities. This remains the position with 1.1 The Pentland Hills Regional Park Structure the Pentland Hills Regional Park currently covered by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Finalised Rural West Edinburgh Local Plan (2003); Midlothian The Pentland Hills Regional Park concept fl owed from the Countryside Council’s Adopted Local Plan (2003) and the West Lothian Local Plan Commission for Scotland’s review, “A Parks System for Scotland” (1974). Finalised (2005). This asserted that while traditional land use should be maintained, its contribution to recreational provision would be supplemented by the development of country parks and picnic facilities, networks of country 1.2 The Pentland Hills Regional Park footpaths, wider areas of public access, and the establishment of a management infrastructure to manage recreational pressure on an area. The Pentland Hills Regional Park covers some 10,000 hectares of land, and The aim of Regional Park designation is to cover extensive areas of land, although located to the immediate west of Edinburgh, straddles the local in diverse ownership, where provision for public recreation is given a authority boundaries of the City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council higher profi le by establishing a co-ordinated framework for the integrated and West Lothian Council. A map of the Pentland Hills Regional Park is management of recreation with traditional land use in close collaboration with provided in Figure 1.1. local interests. National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) 14 (s.21) states that Regional Parks play a valuable role in providing opportunities for urban populations to gain access to attractive areas of countryside for recreation and enjoyment of the natural heritage. 01 The City of Edinburgh Council is currently the managing authority of the contained in the Hillend Country Park Management Plan (2004-2009) and the Pentland Hills Regional Park under the terms of a Minute of Agreement Bonaly Country Park Management Plan (2006-2026) documents. between the three local authorities. Following a review in 2005 of the IMS it was determined that a Pentland Hills The aims of the Pentland Hills Regional Park as set out in its designation Regional Park Plan should be formulated setting out the strategy, objectives order are: and actions for a further initial 6 year period (equating to two complete local authority budget cycles) but also extending the vision forward to a 10 year • To retain the essential character of the hills as a place for the peaceful time-frame in order to highlight longer term relevant aims and objectives. enjoyment of the countryside; • Caring for the hills so that the landscape and the habitat is protected and enhanced; 1.3 The Purpose of the Pentland Hills Regional Park • Within this caring framework to encourage responsible public enjoyment Plan of the hills; • Co-ordination of these aims so that the co-exist with farming and other The overall purpose of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan is to provide land uses within the Pentland Hills Regional Park. the relevant contemporary strategic framework guiding the Pentland Hills Regional Park management in the preparation of detailed action plans which The Pentland Hills Regional Park is a living, changing environment and has will translate the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan into deliverable tasks. evolved as a mixed land use resource which is an important leisure, economic, community and heritage asset within the Lothians. The Plan sets out an over-arching vision for the sustainable integrated management of the Pentland Hills Regional Park and identifi es the underlying With this evolution comes increasing and changing pressures and demands principles and themes which provide the framework within which aims, with the Pentland Hills Regional Park management and the other key objectives and actions have been formulated. stakeholders seeking to balance recreation and enjoyment with economic demands and the conservation of the Pentland Hills Regional Park’s natural The Plan also seeks to highlight potential benefi ts which could accrue from and built heritage assets. the delivery of the recommended proposals and identifi es their relevance in the context of relevant strategies, policies and plans in the wider sphere eg at From 2000-2005, the Pentland Hills Regional Park had in place an Integrated the local, regional, national and international levels. Management Strategy (IMS) setting out policies for the Pentland Hills Regional Park and which provides the current framework for the Pentland The Plan identifi es a prioritised programme for investment – both of Hills Regional Park’s management. Proposed management plans for specifi c personnel and fi nancial resources together with monitoring recommendations. areas within the Pentland Hills Regional Park boundaries exist, and are 02 1.4 Development of the Pentland Hills Regional Park plans, programmes and strategies. Plan Given that central components of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan are to conserve and enhance the environmental features and qualities of the PHRP, Development of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan has included the SEA process is therefore central to the development of the Pentland Hills background research of both historic and current Pentland Hills Regional Park Regional Park Plan. Accordingly, all strategic objectives have been assessed documentation; local, national and international agency strategies, policies during the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan’s preparation to provide a and plans. transparent framework which appraises the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan recommendations on the future environmental well-being of the Pentland A consultation programme has also helped in developing the Pentland Hills Hills Regional Park. Regional Park Plan. The consultation programme has included a workshop with the Pentland Hills Regional Park Consultative Forum, meetings with The SEA of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan has been prepared as a the Pentland Hills Regional Park land managers and the Pentland Hills separate report. Ranger service, an initial presentation of the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan process to the Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee - with opportunities to provide inputs. In addition, an invitation to provide comments, opinions and suggestions for the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan was posted on the PHRP website with a dedicated link provided for inputs to be made to Scott Wilson Scotland. 1.5 Strategic Environmental Assessment To ensure best planning practice and compliance with statutory obligations, the Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan has been subjected to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This has involved a systematic identifi cation and evaluation of the environmental impacts of the proposed Plan actions. The SEA follows the requirements under the EC Directive 2001/42/EC, the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 which legislates for a wider remit of SEA in Scotland to cover 03 Figure 1.1 - Pentlands Hills Regional Park 04 local authorities throughout Scotland to share experiences and take action on sustainable development; • The parameters of the existing Pentland Hills Regional Park management roles which are facilitative, advisory and consultative; • Current regional and local policies and proposals which are directly relevant to the Pentland Hills Regional Park and which are a fundamental aspect of the Pentland Hills Regional Park’s legal framework eg:- The Edinburgh and Lothians Structure Plan 2015:- 2.The Pentland Hills Regional Park Plan Vision i. ENV 1 D: Regional and Local Natural and Built Environmental Interests. 2.1 Introduction Edinburgh City Local Plan Finalised (2007):- The purpose of setting-out a vision for the Pentland Hills Regional Park i. Policy Os 4 : Pentland Hills Regional Park. Plan is to bring together the aims and objectives into an overall goal which