The Scottish Government Reporter’s examination of the North Lanarkshire Local Plan may lead to the release of green-belt land for development at a site in Cumbernauld which overlaps with East Dunbartonshire in Twechar.

Councillor Billy Hendry has reiterated that a plan-led approach to planning must be followed in Scotland.

Councillor Hendry, Convener of the Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee is concerned that Government Reporters can make recommendations not in keeping with the strategic plans in place to govern planning decisions such as the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan.

Councillor Hendry said: “Following the Reporter’s examination of our East Dunbartonshire Local Plan, we reluctantly agreed to adopt the plan including the Reporter’s requirement to release a number of greenbelt sites for development. However, we stressed at that time that we would be seeking further discussions with Ministers to express concern at the Reporter’s interventions in local areas that they had no direct knowledge and experience of. A similar situation has now also arisen in the examination of the North Lanarkshire local plan, which will have an impact on East Dunbartonshire.

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“The whole point of having a Strategic Development Plan in place for the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area is that this provides a strategic overview of requirements and the current plan identifies that there is a housing surplus in this wider strategic area, based on the Housing Needs and Demand Assessment.”

The Strategic Development Plan sets out land-use policy and guidance for the long term planning of the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley area which covers eight different Council areas, including East Dunbartonshire. It provides the basis for co-ordinating strategic decisions on land use, the environment and transport and sets out effective land supply for major land uses, such as housing and industry.

Councillor Hendry continued: “It would appear that the Reporters are basing their consideration of the need to release additional areas of greenbelt for development on house builders own housing requirement figures and not on the figures used by local authorities based on the Housing Needs and Demand Assessment, which has already achieved government acceptance. This approach to the North Lanarkshire Local Plan, which we have been asked to comment on, is very similar to the position we found ourselves in following the Reporter’s examination of our East Dunbartonshire Local Plan.

“Decisions made by Councils, through the Local Plan or Planning Applications must be made in line with the context set by the Strategic Development Plan so it is important that we express our concerns when the Reporters can make recommendations to change Local Plans that do not align with the Strategic Development Plan.”

(GK/BMcC)