Under recent legislation, local communities (either geographic or based on a common local interest) can produce a ‘Local Place Plan‘ (LPP) which the Council must then take into account in preparing its development plan for the whole local authority. Many communities in the Lothians have already produced LPPs, and several in Edinburgh are now doing so. You have an opportunity to put in comments – or, through a community group, to initiate a new LPP.
Edinburgh City Council has prepared this guide to what a LPP is, and how to go about creating one. Many are produced by Community Councils, but any local organisation meeting certain criteria can initiate one. See the end of this article for more resources and contacts.
“A Local Place Plan needs to relate to a specific area, but it can be any size. It can cover a whole district, a neighbourhood, or a single plot of land. It is up to you what you cover. This does not need to be clearly defined in the beginning. It can evolve during the process.”
“This is the chance to design and plan your area in more detail. You can shape future housing, business, or community spaces, bring forward proposals to improve quality of life, health and well-being and protect what you value such as buildings and green space.”
Importantly for us, an LPP can include ideas and proposals on getting about locally. For example see page 38 of the Linlithgow LPP.
LPPs already complete
Once a LPP is complete, and complies with certain requirements, it must be made available to the public on a Council register. The LPP registers in our area are as follows…
- Edinburgh Currently only the following LPPs are complete and registered
- The Lothians seem much further advanced, with many more completed LPPs – click these links to see:
- East Lothian
- Midlothian
- West Lothian
LPPs under development – get involved!!
There is no register of LPPs under development – please tell us any others you know of (Edinburgh or Lothian council areas) so we can add them here.
Also, if you would like to prepare a draft Spokes submission to any of the following, which our Planning Group can comment on before submission, do get in touch.
- Southside LPP / web / survey (ends 31 May) / drop-ins (Apr 11 & May 9) / interactive map /
- Liberton & District LPP / web / survey (ends 30 April) – No mention of cycling, but some open-ended questions you can use /
- Bruntsfield LPP / web / survey /
- Balerno LPP / web / There is an existing Community Plan which will be used as a basis for the LPP / survey /
- Leith LPP / web / As far as we can see, this is largely complete, though we can’t see a link to the draft plan. Comments can presumably be sent to the email contact /
Resources
- Edinburgh City Council guide to what a LPP is, and how to go about creating one
- More Edinburgh info and council contacts, here For Lothians councils, go to the ‘above ‘Already complete’ section above, click the relevant council, then navigate around the links there
- Living Streets Edinburgh organised this very helpful webinar (video & transcript) with speakers from the City Council planning section and an environmental consultant