Review of Local Development Plan
Stages of the Review
Local Development Plan: Call for Ideas
The review of the Local Development Plan is underway. The Local Development Plan is an important document in deciding what is built and where. It is a statutory document and looks forward to the next 10 to 20 years. Its important to have your say and help shape Orkney for this period.
Call for Ideas
One of the early stages is to gather thoughts and ideas from members of the public and stakeholders and this is done through Call for Ideas. This is open to all; businesses, community groups members of the public, developers, landowners, builders, interest groups and Key Agencies. The questions have been developed to assist in getting everyone to think about their communities and places and we are also happy to hear about other ideas.
Please click the button below to answer a few questions and get involved in this part of our consultation.
Submitting potential land for development.
As part of the ‘Call for Ideas’ we are inviting submissions for proposed sites (land) for consideration.
As well as assessing new sites for inclusion, land allocated in the 2017 Plan can also be considered. With the passage of time (and as this is a new Local Development Plan process), we require landowners, agents and developers of land that is currently allocated in the 2017 Plan, to provide up to date/further information to allow it to be considered for continued inclusion.
Please note that land in the 2017 Plan will not automatically be included/carried forward into the new Plan.
Please click the button below to submit sites for consideration. Here you will also find out what type of land will be considered in the new Plan, and what information is required for submission.
Next Steps
All comments and land submissions are fully assessed by the Development and Marine Planning team and reported fully to our Elected Members. Furthermore, this will be reported in full to the Scottish Government through the Evidence Report and / or the Final Examination. All of which is in the public domain and available for inspection. Names and addresses will be kept confidential.
We expect to receive a large number of comments and land submissions and the review process can take time to complete. Please note submission of land does not guarantee allocation in the next Local Development Plan.
We expect to have a Proposed Plan with development allocations in mid-2025 and a new Local Development Plan in 2027.
At any time if you wish to speak to a member of the Team, please call 01856 873535 ex 2517. To return paper submissions please use the contact details below.
Team Manager – Development Planning, Development and Marine Planning, Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, KW15 1NY
This consultation closes on the 30th september 2024 and all submissons should be submitted by 5pm on this date. Submissions after this date will not be considered.
Invitation to Create Local Place Plans
Local Place Plans allow communities to submit ideas and proposals for their area that can be taken into consideration while the Local Development Plan for their area is being prepared.
We will soon be preparing a new Orkney Local Development Plan that will be shaped by the aspirations and ambitions of communities across Orkney. The new Orkney Local Development Plan provides a strategy for the future of an area and a land use framework within which investment and development can take place. It is the main policy tool used by the Planning Authority in the determination of planning applications. We are aiming to adopt our new Local Development Plan by 2027.
We are inviting community groups to create their own community-led Local Place Plans, which set out their proposals for development or the use of land in their area. Further information and guidance can be found on the Local Place Plans page.
Based on current timescales, Local Place Plans should be submitted by the end of March 2025. This is so we can use your community plans to feed into the earliest stages of the new Local Development Plan we can accept Place Plans after this date but their influence on the Local Development Plan could be reduced. This date may be revised to a later one depending on progress with the different stages of the Local Development Plan.
Once a Local Place Plan has been submitted, it has to be checked to see it has met the various legislative requirements. After it has cleared that process it can be registered and taken into account in preparing the Local Development Plan. Therefore, if Local Place Plans can be submitted sooner than the end of March 2025 this will provide more time, if needed, for the clearance process.
There will be many other opportunities for individuals and communities to have their say and input into the preparation of the Local Development Plan. We are happy to discuss the best way for your community body to be involved in the process. For example we could work collaboratively with your community to map your aspirations for improved infrastructure, services and identify future development priorities without the need for a community to prepare a formal Local Place Plan.
If you are considering preparing a Local Place Plan or have any other questions about Local Place Plans, please feel free to contact us at devplan@orkney.gov.uk
2024 Local Development Plan Newsletter
The Development and Marine Planning team is pleased to announce the publication of its 2024 Local Development Plan Newsletter, which outlines the indicative timetable and how and when people can get involved in shaping the future local development plan for Orkney and includes a draft participation statement.
This newsletter for the review of the Local Development Plan and provides a summary of the timetable and upcoming opportunities for people to get involved in the planning for their area and what is involved in preparing the new Local Development Plan. It is really important that the public engagement in the Local Development plan process as the Local Development Plan will influence how the towns, villages and countryside of Orkney will change into the future. This is including setting out where development should and shouldn’t happen, where new homes and businesses will be built, influence how services and facilities such as schools and active travel will be provided, and identify the places and buildings we value and want to protect.
We are keen to hear feedback on our ideas for methods of engagement and also who we plan to engage with as we look to reviewing the Local Development Plan, which with a number of stages to complete is going to take several years to prepare.
To view the online Local Development Plans Newsletter (consultation document), please click on the relevant links below:
Online Development Plan Scheme Newsletter (link to external site)
Development Plan Scheme Newsletter (downloadable/printable PDF)
Comments can be submitted by email or by completing the survey. Alternatively, post your feedback to Development and Marine Planning, Council offices, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW151NY.
The Council is encouraging people to submit views and comments on the suitability of the approach to consultation on the Local Development Plan.
We would also encourage you to add your name to our mailing list to keep up to date on progress and when there are opportunities to engage in the process. To be added to the mailing list please send in your contact details to using the same details as above to contact us (or via the survey link).
Until the new Local Development Plan is in place proposals requiring planning permission will continue to be assessed against the existing Development Plan.
