Plans and Policies

Local, regional and coastal development plans and policies.

Local Development Plan 2

The Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan 2 was adopted on 28th February 2024, and replaces the Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan 2015 and its associated Supplementary Guidance (March 2016), and Supplementary Guidance 2 (December 2016).

Argyll and Bute Indicative Regional Spatial Strategy

The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, requires Regional Spatial Strategies(RSS) to be prepared by planning authorities or groups of planning authorities and for these RSS to help inform the national and regional planning priorities which will be set out in National Planning Framework 4  (NPF4).  The Scottish Government invited planning authorities to submit Indicative Regional Spatial Strategies (IRSS) in order to inform the preparation of NPF4.

The Argyll and Bute IRSS sets out the high level issues and projects which Argyll and Bute Council believe merit consideration for identification as national or regional proposals in NPF4, drawing upon the strategic priorities of the Proposed Local Development Plan 2, Economic Strategy, Rural Growth Deal, and inputs to the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2

Simplified Planning Zones

Simplified Planning Zones are designated areas where the need to apply for planning permission is removed for certain types of development, and we are currently investigating possible zones in Lochgilphead and Salen.

Landscape wind energy capacity study

Read the full report and appendices, produced to help develop the windfarm / wind turbine policies and associated spatial framework in the proposed Local Development Plan.

Marine and Coastal Development

Our Marine and Coastal Development Unit work on a number of projects and initiatives, developing plans for some of our beautiful and remote areas such as Loch Etive, Loch Fyne, and the Sound of Mull.

Core Paths

Our Outdoor Access Team are currently working on the Core Path plan for the area.

Woodland and Forestry Strategy

Forests and woodland cover over 30% of the land area of Argyll and Bute, and as such, impact on many aspects of our lives. The strategy provides an overall picture of the resource and its related issues.  It sets out what we would like our woodlands to look like over the next 50 years in our area, and how we can make the most of them so that they contribute to our local economy, to the environment, our rich heritage, and to the quality of life for our communities and residents.  

Biodiversity

According to experts, Argyll and Bute is considered to be a biodiversity hot spot with some of the best examples of a range of Land, Freshwater and Marine and Coastal Habitats and Species in the UK.

Read the Biodiversity Technical Note for Planners and Developers (Feb 17) here

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