The Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan guides land use and planning decisions, and sets out policies and proposals for development, including new homes and green spaces. It works alongside the National Planning Framework 4, which provides a broader, Scotland-wide strategy.

Before preparing a local development plan, the council must first produce an Evidence Report to gather information on topics such as housing, transport, the environment, and the economy. The report also outlines the authority’s views on a wide range of related land use and planning matters.

The Evidence Report was agreed by Aberdeenshire Council on June 26 for submission to the Scottish Ministers for Gate Check assessment. This process evaluates whether the evidence gathered is sufficient and robust, and is expected to take between three and four months.

During this period, the Council is inviting feedback from communities and stakeholders on how the next Plan should address the issues identified in a local context, such as rural development, housing, renewable energy, and open spaces.

This engagement process is split into two parts. The Call for Sites will be used to identify those sites which landowners, communities, and the development industry would wish to see included in the next Local Development Plan. The Call for Sites will open on July 16 and close on October 31.

The Call for Ideas is the principal way in which the council will collect information from communities and stakeholders on the content of the Proposed Local Development Plan. This includes highlighting potential land use planning concerns and suggesting policies and ideas. This process will open on July 16 and close on December 31.

This engagement provides opportunities for sites to be identified for development and/or protection in the next plan. 

Response forms have been produced by the council and is the main method of putting forward suggested ideas and sites. These can be found here.

Councillor Alan Turner, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “This is an important moment in Aberdeenshire’s long-term planning journey, and I am delighted that the Evidence Report has been approved, and we can move on to this next stage. The engagement and consultation on the forthcoming Local Development Plan provides interested parties with opportunities to be involved and have their voice heard, with the clear message that this is your Local Development Plan and we need to know what you want it to deliver.

“The Call for Ideas is the point in the process where we invite the public for its ideas as to what actions we should take to address these high-level land use planning issues. I would encourage everyone to have their say on the future development of our region through our various consultation activities.”