Aberdeenshire Council is seeking input from local communities to help develop Local Place Plans to highlight issues, gather ideas and express aspirations for the future.

Forming a key part of the Scottish Government's new planning system, the scheme has been introduced to increase community involvement in the planning and spatial design process.

Local Place Plans (LPPs) give communities an opportunity to work up proposals for the development and use of land in the place where they live and offer the opportunity for a community-led, but collaborative approach to local place-making, setting out proposals for the development and use of land.

The aim of the provisions is to significantly enhance engagement in development planning, effectively empowering communities to play a proactive role in defining the future of their places.

LPPs can be specific to a single place or building or cover a wider geographic area, but need to be registered with Aberdeenshire Council which is legally required to make them available.

These plans can be promoted and developed by community council or any individual or a collection of community groups that meet the criteria.

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Paul Macari, Head of Planning and Economy at Aberdeenshire Council, explained: "It is for the community body preparing the LPP to determine the scope of their submission and there are a range of issues and development proposals which they may deem appropriate.

"These might range from identification of sites which support climate change adaptation or renewable energy or flood mitigation, local initiatives for the promotion of active travel and community food growing or identification of sites for specific uses, including housing, local employment or tourism and community facilities.

"A key factor within Local Place Plans will also be around retaining and improving or expanding open space, play facilities and other green/blue infrastructure, including identification of spaces that are of particular value to the community."

Councillor John Crawley, chair of the council's Infrastructure Services Committee, said: "The introduction of Local Place Plans offers our local communities the ability to be actively involved with planning for the future of their community. With a focus on development and land-use these are plans that allow and empower communities to set out their proposals and future ambitions and will also be an important input into the preparation of our new Local Development Plan in Aberdeenshire."

Vice-chair Councillor Isobel Davidson added: "Local Place Plans will really help Aberdeenshire Council understand how its communities want to develop and will provide an opportunity for all of our residents and settlements to create a very positive community identity for many years to come."

Once registered, LPPs will be taken into account in the preparation of the region's Local Development Plan and therefore will have weight within the planning process.

While LPPs can be produced at any time, their integration with the Local Development Plan will be greatly facilitated if they are prepared and consulted upon for submission in late 2024.

Aberdeenshire Council has created a dedicated page on its website where information on the Local Place Plans can be found along with supporting documentation and resources