Invitation to prepare Local Place Plans
We are inviting communities across the Council area to prepare local place plans (LPPs) in accordance with Schedule 19 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. LPPs are a new approach to local participation in planning, empowering communities to come together and agree priorities for how they want to see their defined area develop and change in the future. A key feature of LPPs is that they contain proposals for the development and use of land, and the proposals are shown on a map.
Although not an exhaustive list, the following provides examples of things that could feature as proposals in LPPs:
- Sites for housing, employment, tourism, renewable energy or community growing
- Improvements to local green spaces, playparks, community facilities or town or local centres
- Re-use or redevelopment of vacant and derelict sites
- Active travel enhancements (such as improved path links for walking, cycling and wheeling)
- Conservation of local wildlife or built heritage (for example, the restoration of an historic building or the creation of a new habitat)
- Projects to sustainably manage flood risk or protect and restore the water environment
An LPP can only be prepared by a community body. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 means this is either:
- a community-controlled body within the definition given in Section 19 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015; or
- a community council established in accordance with Part 4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
We have started initial work on preparing the Falkirk Local Development Plan (LDP3). Community bodies can prepare an LPP at any time, but if their purpose in preparing one is to influence LDP3, they should submit it to the Council by the date of Tuesday 01 April 2025. This date has been chosen to fit with the Council's programme for preparation of LDP3, as set out in the current Development Plan Scheme.
Assistance available
We have published an updated, brief guide covering the stages and benefits of an LPP and the assistance available to communities preparing an LPP. The Evidence Report page has some tools, documents and web maps that could help community bodies with their LPP work.
If you have any questions about local place plans or are considering preparing one, please contact us:
Parish Online
As part of the Community Map Scotland Project, the Improvement Service and Geoxphere have launched a new mapping tool that will help Community Councils to create digital maps for their LPP preparation. Community Councils can get 12 months of free access to the tool by going to Parish Online and using the code cms12 when signing up. A paid subscription, however, will be required to access the tool after the 12 months have passed.
Register of valid LPPs
We are required by Schedule 19 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 to keep a register of valid LPPs relating to the Council area.
Currently, there are no entries on the register.
Development Plan Update
Join our Development Plan Update to keep informed of important announcements on LPPs, and also receive future editions of our newsletter.