DOUNBY COMMUNITY PLAN

Local Place Plan

IMAGE: Aerial photograph of Dounby showing the village crossroads, surrounding buildings and fields. The cover identifies the document as “DOUNBY COMMUNITY PLAN” and “Local Place Plan”, with Orkney Islands Council Development and Marine Planning and Orkney Islands Council logos.

Copies of this document

This document is available as a hard copy or in digital format.

Please see www.orkney.gov.uk

Telephone: 01856873535

Email: devplan@orkney.gov.uk

Contents

• Introduction — 04
• Context — 06
• Service Centre — 10
• Consultation — 12
• Vision — 14
• Proposals — 16
• One: Getting Around — 16
• Two: Public Spaces — 16
• Three: Forward Planning — 16
• Four: Tourism — 16
• Next Steps — 37

Introduction

This is the Dounby Community Plan which has been developed in partnership with the Birsay Community Council and the Sandwick and Harray Community Council. The Community Plan details some of the changes that the community of Dounby would like to see within their village going forward. The Plan’s projects will involve true partnership working, where teams from the Council (including Development and Marine Planning, Economic Development, Education, Tourism) are working together with Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO), HiTRANS and Sustrans to assist the community in the development of a plan and actions that can truly be achieved.

The Scottish Government in the review of the planning system have empowered communities to move forward and formulate their own plans for their settlements; referred to as Local Place Plans.

These Local Place Plans provide an opportunity for the community to discuss and raise suggestions for the future of their village and create a dialogue between the Council and other key stakeholders. The vision for Dounby is focused around 5 key themes, detailed later on in section 4.

The plan aims to highlight key projects which will positively influence the future development of Dounby for the benefit of existing and new residents as well as the wider West Mainland community which use Dounby as a Service Hub in their day-to-day lives.

For the avoidance of doubt, all plans, diagrams, and visualisations in the document are for illustrative purposes only. Further detailed technical analysis and consultation will be required to progress these proposals through the formal planning application system in order to refine the details and nature of proposed development.

Document structure

The structure of the Place Plan is set out as follows:

• Section 2: Local Context and the community;
• Section 3: The Vision for Dounby;
• Section 4: Themes; and
• Section 5: Next Steps and Delivery.

Context

Location

Dounby is located within the heart of the West Mainland of Orkney at the crossroads of the A986 and B9057. The village is situated where the parishes of Birsay, Harray and Sandwick converge. Historically the village grew during the 19th century as a centre where the agricultural community met and traded.

Services and Facilities

Today Dounby is still very much a service centre for the West Mainland of Orkney with several shops and services; including a post office, hairdressers, bathroom showroom, craft businesses, butchers, pharmacy, doctors’ surgery, care home, community school, hotel with bar and restaurant, and places of worship.

The village also hosts the annual West Mainland Agricultural Show which attracts around 6,000 visitors from across the Isles and wider agricultural community.

IMAGE: Four photographs identify key facilities in Dounby: A — Dounby Community School; B — Dounby Pharmacy; C — Local Store and petrol station; D — United Free Church.

Location plan of Dounby

IMAGE: Map of Dounby showing the settlement boundary and the location of existing buildings, sports grounds and playing fields, show grounds, natural open space, water bodies, the road network, Market Green, amenity spaces and play areas, hard surfaces and parking, and retail, service and business premises.

• Existing building
• Sports Grounds / Playing Fields
• Show Grounds
• Natural Open space
• Water body
• Road Network
• Market Green
• Amenity space / play areas
• Hard surface/parking
• Retail/service/business premises
• Settlement Boundary

Walking and Cycling in the Village

A number of issues with walking in the village have been highlighted such as, broken path network and areas of no paths which make the environment feel car dominated. Whilst there are existing paths to the community school feedback has highlighted that there is a perception of high traffic speeds along the road next to the paths making them less desirable to use.

Leisure and Recreational Routes / Core Path network

There are a number of Core Paths around the village, providing a wider circular route, approximately 12km in length.

The St Magnus Way also runs to the east of Dounby, with part of the route coming into the village before doubling back and continuing on towards Harray. This route brings visitors into the heart of the village, offering businesses and services the opportunity to capitalise on the additional footfall. Theme Four - Tourism, detailed in the proposals section of this document is aimed to support and further promote these connections to Dounby.

IMAGE: Map showing the Core Path network around Dounby and the route of the St Magnus Way. The map identifies Dounby, surrounding settlements, water bodies, roads and countryside, with Core Paths and the St Magnus Way marked as separate routes.

Public Transport

The bus service running through Dounby is a Hail-and-Ride Service, allowing passengers to get on the bus through the whole village. There is a bus shelter located outside the Asda with timetables and further information. The route serviced by the 7 and the 8S, which are operated by Stagecoach at a frequency of between 5 and 9 buses per day traveling through Dounby on route to Kirkwall and Stromness. These routes also connect the village with Birsay, Twatt, and Harray, allowing access to the services and facilities within the Village to the wider West Mainland Area. The plan on this page shows the informal bus stop locations as defined by the timetable.

IMAGE: Map showing public transport routes through Dounby and the surrounding area, with informal bus stops marked along the bus routes.

• Informal Bus Stops
• Bus Routes

Service centre

Dounby’s relationship with the wider community is critical to unlocking it’s potential as a thriving service centre. Encouraging people to live, work, and interact with their local setting is key to promoting sustainable living and active travel opportunities.

The Plan on the next page shows the distance travelled in 20 minutes by car, bike and on foot. It shows how well placed Dounby is in relation to the West Mainland.

Dounby’s Location as a Hub

Due to it’s location, Dounby has been chosen as a case study as part of a Hi Trans report looking at how the 20 min neighbourhood of urban living can be translated to a rural setting.

The Village’s historic function as a rural Service Centre is something which this plan, the Community Councils, and Orkney Islands Council seeks to preserve and strengthen.

The workstreams detailed in this plan are focused within the demise of Dounby however they will also benefit the wider community who use the village, as well as tourists and residents.

National Planning Framework 4

The concept of a 20 minute neighbourhood is that it is designed in such a way that people can meet the majority of their daily needs within a reasonable distance of their home preferably by sustainable and active travel methods. The principle can be adjusted to include varying geographical scales from cities and urban environments, to rural and island communities. The concept seeks that housing would be planned together with local infrastructure including schools, community centres, local shops and health and social care to significantly reduce the need to use unsustainable methods of travel, to prioritise quality of life, help tackle inequalities, increase levels of health and well-being and respond to the climate emergency.

The Local Development Plan

Through the development of the next Orkney Local Development Plan we are tasked with supporting local living, including 20 minute neighbourhoods within settlements through the spatial strategy, associated site briefs and masterplans. An essential element to achieving these tasks is having a good understanding of the local context and to be able to reflect the particular characteristics and challenges faced by each place. The work with the community on developing the Dounby Community Plan has provided us with a huge wealth of information that can directly input into the next Local Development Plan.

20 minute journey times from Dounby

IMAGE: Map showing areas reachable from Dounby within 20 minutes by walking, cycling and driving. It identifies key roads, water bodies, shore/beach areas, airfields, the World Heritage Site, the St Magnus Way, schools, visitor attractions and the Creative Trail. A smaller Bus Map shows routes linking Dounby with places including Birsay, Twatt, Harray, Stromness and Kirkwall.

• 20 mins cycling
• 20 mins driving
• 20 mins walking
• Travel times
• water body
• Key roads
• Shore/beach
• Airfield
• World Heritage Site
• St Magnus Way
• School
• Visitor attraction
• Creative Trail
• Bus Map

Consultation

Community Consultation

Working with the Dounby Community Council, a series of pre-drafting consultation discussions has taken place that has informed the development of this Plan.

This included a ComVarimunity Council stand at the West Mainland Show in 2019, where discussions with members of the public took place asking them for their ideas and thoughts on Dounby. Members of the Development and Marine Planning team also attended Dounby Community School Parents Evening in the Autumn of 2019 where parents, children and teachers talked about the Village.

There have also been further discussions with other members of the public and Orkney Islands Council Officers (including Roads, Transport, Engineering, Schools, Tourism, Recreation) on some of the ideas and issues that have arisen from the preliminary consultation views.

A Call for Ideas was published on the Council’s Social Media and website inviting further comments from the community. These comments, alongside VAO’s West Mainland Consultation been incorporated into the Consultation responses.

What was said?

Below is a summary of the points that were noted from the initial consultation discussions that took place.

MARKET GREEN

Could be more user-friendly. Should be a focal point with a community feel.

AMENITY SITE

If retained, plastics and cardboard need to be added? Could this area be used for car parking instead?

VIAS MOSS NATURE SITE

Could we have a footpath around the site with interpretation and educational elements?

ROADS

Should the 30mph limit be moved and/or changed to 20mph? People want vehicles to move through Dounby more slowly.

TOURISM

Desire to improve the tourism offer to encourage more tourists to stay longer and interact with the businesses.

PARKING

Parking is not organized and sometimes blocks the road, especially around the shops and services. Would dedicated bus parking encourage tourism? No dedicated disabled parking spaces at the Market Green?

OTHER POINTS

Drinking water tap, re-site the post box, community-led support hub, swimming pool, make more use of the masonic hall, small business letting units, caravan park, better signage and tidy up Back Road.

HOUSING

More needed to bring in families with a need for both private and social housing.

SCHOOL

Do we need a new school? Should it be closer to village cross-roads? What about more outside learning opportunities - poly-tunnel, tree planting and better play equipment?

CHILDREN’S PLAY AREAS

Needs to be improved. Some of the existing village centre locations were noted as having shelter and being close to shops, the pub and houses.

WALKING AND PAVEMENTS

Better (lit) footpath links within the village (linking the community to the village and children to their school). Perception of speeding traffic stops people from walking. There are also gaps in the existing footways.

Vision

Following review of community responses and analysis of the village, our vision for Dounby is based around 4 key themes; Getting Around, Public Spaces, Future Planning and Tourism and Leisure. These 4 topics allow proposals to be grouped into packages to aid with interpretation and completion, however they should be considered interlinked with ideas in one influencing the outcomes of others.

The final overarching principle of the plan looks at stewardship, self-promotion, and community’s ongoing role in the proposed projects. This principle ties together the other 4 themes which will assist delivery, consultation, inclusion, and community identity.

IMAGE: Diagram showing the four themes of the vision — Getting Around, Public Spaces, Forward Planning and Tourism — connected to the overarching principle of Team Dounby.

Team Dounby

To successfully take the projects proposed within the vision forward, the Community will need to form a constituted group that represents all the Village; including residents and services users, businesses and service providers, landowners and interested groups, all age demographics, and the Community Council and Parent Council of the school. For the purpose of this document, we have called this group ‘Team Dounby’.

Part of Team Dounby’s role will include considering the village’s digital presence as well as physical form. At present there is limited online resource and material about the village, its services, facilities, and community offering. However, improving the engagement with digital marketing by using social media and other avenues can help to support and generate further interest in the community for residents, the wider West Mainland Community and for visitors to the village, making Dounby a destination for all. Looking to the future, this new digital presence will also assist several the projects laid out in the proposals section of this document.

Team Dounby will play a key role in thinking about the Village’s identity going forward. The rich agricultural heritage of the settlement is something that makes is unique to other more coastal orientated parts of Orkney. Finding ways to highlight this community heritage and integrating it into the proposals will strengthen Dounby’s identity, encouraging not only tourism and visitors but build on the existing character of the settlement.

IMAGE: Illustration of four interlocking jigsaw pieces representing the different parts of the community coming together as Team Dounby.

Proposals

One - Getting Around

The Opportunity

The community wish to provide meaningful active travel routes in and around the village; and the wider countryside for all the community to improve fitness levels, provide learning opportunities for the school, to increase social interactions, and provide a tourism asset. There are a number of footways in the village but there are locations where these footpaths finish on one side of the carriageway and carry on, on the other side of the road, there are also larger stretches without footpaths. There is a public perception that vehicles dominate Dounby’s roads and that this perception discourages active travel movement. In addition, local residents have concerns that car parking at the shops and services within the village is poorly planned and often leads to vehicles blocking and slowing traffic down, as shoppers look to park as close to their destination as possible.

The following sections break down the work streams proposed to address the concerns raised during consultation, and will provide data and design outcomes to solve them.

1. Full Movement Study

A Full Movement Study should be carried out looking at all modes of transport including vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. The council in partnership with Sustrans has started collecting data around the crossroads to support this work.

Further data capture could also be considered in the future to look at frequency, speed and types of vehicles around other parts of the village; with other collection methods employed to assess where else pedestrian and cycle movements are occurring.

Collecting information through surveys on where different groups currently and would like to walk and/or cycle would inform how the existing core path network could be improved and where new routes would be useful to bridge any gaps.

Current and historic data collected by the Council can be reviewed as part of this study. This will form part of the evidence base to assist with onward funding.

2. School Travel Plan

The School should complete a School Travel Plan that will aim to encourage pupils, parents and teachers to adopt healthier options for getting to and from school, with the routes to school being made safer and more accessible for all.

Additionally, the school should consider active travel movements and links to outside learning opportunities; and how active travel could improve their opportunities to connect the pupils with the wider community.

3. Existing Infrastructure

A survey of the existing footpath routes within the village and its surroundings should be undertaken to establish where improvements should be made.

Using this information, and the data and work carried out as part of Streams 1 and 2, a list of active travel improvements will be drawn up for the village and the wider community. These improvements should consider meaningful active travel journeys linking facilities, homes and public spaces; whilst also thinking about routes for health and well-being, and leisure that tie into the wider community surrounding Dounby.

IMAGE: Map identifying missing footpaths and undefined areas without footpaths where potential shared surfaces could be provided within the Dounby settlement boundary.

• Undefined areas without footpaths, potential shared surfaces
• Area of missing footpaths
• Settlement Boundary
• Sports Grounds / Playing Fields
• Market Green

4. Design solutions

Draw up the feasibility and redesign of the roads in the village centre to reclaim the road for the community, slowing down traffic and reducing safety concerns so as to encourage more active travel.

This could include:

• clear arrival points into the village to slow traffic down;
• changes to the location of speed limits with the introduction of countdown markers; and
• the consideration the arrangement of parking both formal and informal around the shops and other key facilities.

Whilst reclaiming the road for the community, safe routes for vehicles especially large scale commercial and agricultural vehicles, will be maintained.

IMAGE: Illustrative road design plan showing potential speed reduction areas, potential new locations of speed signs, an opportunity to rationalise parking and a potential link between the A986 and Back Road.

• Potential new location of speed signs
• Potential link between the A986 and Back road
• Potential speed reduction area
• Opportunity to rationalise parking

5. Potential Development of a Local Travel Hub

Explore the potential for Dounby to become a Local Travel Hub, where community transport and public transport services converge, to encourage active and sustainable travel around the village and wider West Mainland area.

This could include:

• additional community bus/transport services;
• provision for EV car and bike charging/parking points in a new Hub location, potentially around the Village Green; and
• providing benefits for the local community whilst also improving the opportunity to encourage Tourism and visitors to adopt sustainable and active travel options.

IMAGE: Two photographs show examples of public-space and travel-hub treatments: A — Albert Street, Kirkwall; B — Park Lane, Poyton, Cheshire.

Funding and Partners

• Road Safety Officer, Orkney Islands Council
• Education, Leisure and Housing Services, Orkney Islands Council
• Engineering Services and Roads Services, Orkney Islands Council - indicated that they could assist with this project and funding could be gained from Sustrans and HiTRANS.

Two - Public Spaces

The Opportunity

Currently there are a number of open spaces within the village boundary that are under utilised and undervalued. These spaces could be redesigned to function better for the community and contribute more positively to residents, visitors and wider Dounby landscape.

Within the Village there are a number of other existing open spaces such as the bowling ground, football pitches and the open spaces associated with the school that are well used and loved.

Throughout the consultation discussion the Community has asked for:

• improvements to play park facilities especially in locations where there was once equipment;
• better design and uses of the Market Green; and
• to explore opportunities to find out if there could be a nature walk around the Vias Moss Local Nature Conservation Site.

IMAGE: Plan of open spaces in Dounby showing the Dounby Show Ground, Vias Moss, Market Green, football pitch and playing fields, and bowling green, together with areas of natural open space, sports grounds, amenity space and play areas. Council and OHAL ownership are distinguished.

• Existing building
• Natural Open space
• Sports Grounds / Playing Fields
• Show Grounds
• Market Green
• Amenity space / play areas
• Council ownership
• OHAL ownership
• A - Dounby Show Ground
• B - Vias Moss
• C - Market Green
• D - Football Pitch and Playing Fields
• E - Bowling Green

6. Improving Green Spaces and creating green links

Making the most of the existing green spaces within the village is a priority for the community and other stakeholders.

By creating a series of linked spaces, each with their own uses and features encourages movement around the village, promoting healthier living and providing opportunities for social interactions.

Ideas for improvements include:

• better play facilities - both formal and informal play equipment,
• Places to sit and interact with others,
• Providing sheltered spaces for all ages,
• Spaces for older children to socialise and meet,
• Tree and shrub planting - opportunities for other sensory planting including herbs and flowers, and
• New interpretation signage/education activities.

IMAGE: Illustrative plan showing opportunities for linked green spaces, connected green routes, amenity open spaces, the showground and the Market Green area. Insets illustrate sensory planting, indigenous planting, swales and rain gardens, and informal seating and play.

• Swales, rain gardens and other SUDs features
• Informal seating/play continued through spaces
• Areas of Indigenous planting to encourage wildlife
• Sensory planting for education, exploration and inclusivity
• Showground
• Amenity Open spaces
• Market Green Area
• Connected green routes

7. Heritage Trail and Dounby specific Interpretation

Capturing and celebrating Dounby’s heritage and tradition as an agricultural hub is an important aspect of cultural history which should be represented in the village.

Strengthening links with the existing farm museums at Corrigall and Kirbuster also provide opportunities to promote these sites to visitors and highlight another part of Orkney’s heritage which is often overlooked on tours.

This could be achieved through the provision of specific interpretation alongside agricultural machinery/objects around the village in the form of a heritage trail. The trail could also incorporate old photos and residents stories as part of a social history of the village and surrounding rural communities.

IMAGE: Plan showing opportunities for a new Heritage Trail through Dounby, linking amenity open spaces, the showground and Market Green area with Kirbuster and Corrigall Museums. Illustrations identify farming-themed interactive play, historic photographs and stories, agricultural machinery and objects, and landmark agricultural heritage features.

• Opportunity for links to Kirbuster and Corrigall Museums
• Stories and Historic photos of Dounby Residents/community/practices
• Farming themed interactive play/educational features
• Heritage Farming machinery/object with interpretation
• Showground
• Market Green Area
• Landmark feature/agricultural heritage
• Possible Heritage Trail
• Amenity Open spaces

8. Vias Moss

Exploration to investigate the potential for public use of the Vias Moss Local Nature Conservation Site. This will look at which parts are appropriate to use and what type of public use this could include.

A large part of the site is in the ownership of the Council and is designated for its natural heritage value. Part of the site is marshland, and therefore predominately wet in nature. There also needs to be consideration of the site’s existing wildlife and how increased human occupation might had adverse effect on this habitat.

There are also a number of archaeological sites recorded on its edge and 2 scheduled ancient monuments.

The Community have suggested a circular walk with interpretation signage with seating and picnic tables. The purpose of this work stream would be to explore how these uses might work in tandem, opening up the area to the community whilst preserving the important wildlife and habitat of the site.

IMAGE: Plan of Vias Moss showing the Vias Moss area, pond, watercourse, existing vegetation, areas of archaeology, habitat and surface-water sensitivity, potential circular routes or boardwalks, seating or playspace, parking, learning trails and archaeological signposts.

• Council Ownership
• Pond
• Vias Moss Area
• Existing trees/shrubs/vegetation
• Opportunity for seating / playspace
• OHAL Ownership
• Areas of Archaeology
• Potential circular route / boardwalk
• Watercourse
• Area of habitat / surface water sensitivity
• Potential parking for Vias Moss site
• Landmark feature / agricultural heritage
• Learning trail / archaeology signposts

9. Market Green

This area is in the heart of the community and are currently under utilised. The two Market Green spaces are close to shops and services, are sheltered and overlooked. Proposals for the Market Green area at the crossroads have been granted planning permission in December 2023. This work looks to improve the space and provide more of a civic function whilst retaining parking spaces. It also includes new toilet facilities, chemical waste disposal, electric cycle storage and improved amenity space.

Funding for the proposal has been secured from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund and has the potential to be the catalyst for other improvement works highlighted within this document.

IMAGE: Four example photographs illustrate proposed Market Green features: A — topography changes and planting for informal play, shelter and rest; B — new wayfinding and signage opportunities; C — agricultural heritage features and learning opportunities; D — highlighting local landmarks and tourist locations.

• A - Topography changes and planting for informal play, shelter and rest (Drapers Field, Leyton, London)
• B - New Wayfinding and signage opportunities (John O’Groats signpost)
• C - Agricultural Heritage features/learning opportunities (Kirbuster Museum)
• D - Highlighting local landmarks and tourist locations (Mt Snowdon Cairn Compass Dial)

IMAGE: Indicative plan of Market Green showing turfed green space, earth mounds for play, shelter and seating, seasonal coach parking and market space, tree planting, pedestrian desire lines, communal seating, signage, community infrastructure, a landmark agricultural heritage feature, a learning trail, existing and potential WC blocks, parking and vehicle routes, and the shared boundary with the Community School.

• To Primary School/Playing Fields/Bowls Club
• To Vias Moss
• To Milestone Community Church
• Earthen mounds for play / shelter /seating
• Tree planting for shelter
• Green Open space/Seasonal coach parking/Market space
• Market Green - turfed
• Pedestrian desire lines
• New signage / information
• Communal Seating / gathering areas
• Landmark feature/agricultural heritage
• Learning trail / archaeology signposts
• Community Infrastructure - Postbox, telephone Noticeboard etc.
• Seasonal Landmark / Christmas Tree Location
• Existing WC block
• Parking and vehicle route
• Shared boundary with Community School
• Removal of fencing / street clutter
• Potential new WC block

Funding and Partners

Economic Development and the Community Development Fund.

Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

Three - Forward Planning

The Opportunity

Going forward we need to consider what opportunities the community would like for their village. A sustainable community needs to have effective housing stock, economic opportunities, jobs, services and facilities. For Dounby, the forward planning focuses are Housing, The School, and supporting Dounby as a Service Centre.

There is also a need to consider designing out costly maintenance of open spaces and facilities, which will assist with the longevity of any proposals bought forward.

The following sections break down the work streams proposed to address the above focus areas.

Housing

Going forward, through review of the Local Development Plan, the Development and Marine Planning team will review all housing development, and consult with the public on further housing opportunities. This might include looking at issues such as, what are Dounby and the wider communities housing needs going forward? And how can this be planned to support sustainable future growth in Dounby.

Facilities - The School

The Community, especially the parents of pupils at the school noted the current condition of the Community School and asked when is the school going to be replaced? This opens up the discussion as to if the school were to be replaced, where should it be located to best interact with the Village? Should it be renovated? And how do we improve/protect the community elements within the school.

A Service Centre

Development and Marine Planning consider that Dounby has a strong commercial and service aspect due to the Village’s location at the crossroads along the A986, and it’s relationship to the Sandwick, Birsay and Harray Parishes.

The existing shops, hotel, restaurant and public bar, in addition to the doctors and care home demonstrate the strength Dounby has to support such key services. The density and variety of facilities provide a sustainable and local alternative to visiting bigger settlements.

They also create activity and bring life to the village, providing opportunities for informal social interactions, whilst more importantly ensuring the sustainable future of the Village.

Utilising the village’s location and strengthening it’s position as a key service centre for this part of the West Mainland will encourage more people to Live Local and build on the sustainable 20 min neighbourhood concept which is supported within National Policy Guidance and funding opportunities.

10. Housing

Engagement with Development and Marine Planning during the review of the Orkney Local Development Plan will ensure the community’s views on housing are considered.

Analysis of the existing housing stock in the village, looking at size, amount of family homes, age, building heights and potential issues surrounding fuel poverty and sustainable construction will be undertaken.

This work will be completed in partnership with Orkney Housing Association Limited and Housing Services at the Council.

IMAGE: Plan of Dounby housing consents and allocations showing the settlement boundary, housing allocation sites DY-1 to DY-7, and consented housing sites. The plan also identifies Smithfield Hotel, Smiddybrae Home and Hillside Road.

• Housing Allocation site
• Consented housing site
• Settlement Boundary

11. The School

The School has the potential to sit at the heart of the Dounby community, therefore ensuring that it’s design, function and organisation allows for this is fundamental in considering potential future changes.

Potential questions to consider include:

• Can the existing building be renovated?
• Would replacement provide better opportunities for improvement?
• How should the outside spaces work?
• Does the community entrance to the building need moving, redesigning to better address the village and encourage more use of the facilities?

IMAGE: Plan of potential school improvements showing the Dounby Community School boundary within the wider settlement boundary.

• Dounby Community School Boundary
• Settlement Boundary

12. Service Hub and Businesses

Through review of the Orkney Local Development Plan, the Council will work with the community including the businesses and services, to protect and enhance the commercial and service centre of the Village. This work can include looking at the Council land at the rear of the Asda Store and off the Back Road to see if it could be used to enhance the existing offer or create new commercial opportunities for the village.

This project might also include looking at how empty/neglected buildings could be bought back to life by the community and provide new places for start-ups, communal working and social spaces.

IMAGE: Plan of business locations, services and Council land ownership, showing existing business and service areas, potential extensions to those areas, and potential new business, service or community facilities. The plan identifies Asda, Smithfield Hotel, Smiddybrae Home and Hillside Road.

• Potential Extension to Business Areas
• Potential New Business /service facility/ community asset
• Existing Business / Service
• Boundary of existing Business Areas
• Settlement Boundary

13. Community Engagement and Management

Deliveries to the Asda often happen as a busy time of the day with the lorry pulling into the store’s car park. Deliveries are daily and can be between 1pm and 4pm (and can depending on weather can be later). This workstream is about working with the store and community to look at solutions. For example, could the delivery be made at a better time of the day for the Village? Could social media be used to inform the community of delivery times for that day? Could alternative access arrangements for deliveries be made, potentially at the rear of the store? Remember at Project 1 – Getting Around car parking is going to be considered.

Funding and Partners

• The Education, Leisure and Housing Directorate, Orkney Islands Council
• Development and Marine Planning, Orkney Islands Council
• Orkney Housing Association Limited
• Economic Development, Orkney Islands Council
• Estates, Orkney Islands Council
• The Community – Parent Council and the existing services and businesses of the village
• Asda Store
• Housing Services, Orkney Islands Council

IMAGE: Photographs identify potential community and business assets: A — Odin Lodge, which could become a new community asset; B — Castaway Crafts, illustrating flexibility for all users and business types in the village; opposite — Smithfield Hotel, illustrating the need for proposals to protect and benefit existing businesses.

Four - Tourism

The Opportunity

There are a number of commercial enterprises within Dounby that would like to explore how they draw in more customers to ensure that their businesses continue to thrive, grow and provide the existing community with opportunities to stay and shop local.

Presently it is felt there is a lack of joined up thinking with the tourism offer and that as a result, Dounby misses out on this potential resource. How can Dounby build on what is there already? What new markets should be considered and what could these support?

There are a number of Tourism opportunities available in Dounby, these include:

• Cycling and Active tourism;
• Camping tourism;
• Touring/Cruise Tourism; and
• Natural/cultural heritage tourism.

The following sections break down the work streams proposed to address the above focus areas.

14. Cycling and Active tourism

Dounby’s location on the crossroads to the West Mainland make it an ideal location as a potential transport hub.

Supporting cycle tourism and encouraging other visitors to use sustainable modes of transport provides opportunities to reduce vehicle traffic but also enables infrastructure to be shared with local residents. Improving cycle routes, e-bike availability, cycle repair stations/hubs and other supporting features are all things that local communities can also enjoy.

Tourism for all allows everyone to have better access to the countryside, healthy transport options and new forms of social and leisure activities.

Projects around cycle infrastructure could include the provision of an e-bike charging/hire hub, better signage of cycle appropriate routes, new interpretation aimed at cyclists and longer term projects including potential new off-road cycleways.

IMAGE: Aerial photograph showing views across the fields and wetlands south of Dounby over the showground.

15. Camping Tourism

There is a growing market in Orkney for camping services as there aren’t enough formal camping locations within the County. Dounby’s central location on a road network, with links to numerous tourism assets could be a great location for a camp site.

This could be something which the Community take ownership of to generate revenue which can be used for other project initiatives/improvements.

There are a number of locations around the village which could provide facilities (toilets, showers, kitchen, chemical waste disposal, clothes washing and drying facilities) as well as potential for a number of camping pitches (with and without electric hook-ups).

Encouraging overnight stays in the village also increases the time visitors have to interact with businesses and shifts some of the tourism focus away from Kirkwall and into the West Mainland area.

IMAGE: Plan of potential camping locations showing possible camping sites and camping facilities within and around Dounby, together with existing services supporting camping and caravan tourism and the settlement boundary.

• Potential locations for camping site / camping facilities
• Existing services supporting camping / caravan tourism
• Settlement Boundary

16. Touring/Cruise Liner Tourism

Encouraging visitors arriving via Cruise Liners and other tour operators to interact with businesses and facilities will help raise the profile of Dounby and potentially provide increased footfall to businesses and stakeholders.

The approved Market Green proposals provide updated facilities such as a toilet block and water fountain allowing tours to stop and refresh themselves, whilst also encouraging movement and interaction with the village. This could be the start of wider improvements to turn Dounby into a destination in it’s own right.

Highlighting the agricultural heritage in conjunction with improving walkability and signage help to encourage visitors to stay in the village for longer, thus increasing their likelihood to interact and spend money.

IMAGE: Plan of the proposed Market Green development and neighbouring existing businesses, showing existing tourism services, Market Green, signage, communal seating, agricultural heritage features, learning trails, community infrastructure, WC blocks, parking and vehicle routes, and the shared boundary with the Community School.

• Existing services supporting tourism
• Market Green
• New signage / information
• Communal Seating / gathering areas
• Landmark feature/agricultural heritage
• Learning trail / archaeology signposts
• Community Infrastructure - Postbox, telephone, Noticeboard
• Seasonal Landmark / Christmas Tree Location
• Existing WC block
• Parking and vehicle route
• Shared boundary with Community School
• Potential new WC block

17. Natural / Cultural Heritage Tourism

Highlighting the agricultural heritage that is rich within the West Mainland offers another opportunity to diversify Dounby’s Tourism potential. Building on the Heritage Trail identified earlier in this document, by improving walkability and signage between the Farm Museums, other heritage sites and the village itself could help to encourage visitors to stay and interact for longer, thus increasing their likelihood to interact and spend money.

Projects and improvements identified within the earlier parts of the document should also consider how they could interact with the St Magnus Way, which comes into the centre of the Village, bringing further visitors into Dounby.

IMAGE: Map showing the St Magnus Way and nearby heritage assets, including Dounby, Birsay, Kirbuster Museum, Twatt Church, Click Mill, Corrigall Farm Museum and Skara Brae.

• St Magnus Way
• Heritage / Cultural Asset

18. Dounby.com / Dounby’s Identity

Alongside physical interventions and improvements, there are other digital means which can be utilised to improve a number of the concerns raised during consultation.

A website/community portal could provide opportunities to post updates to residents from businesses and other stakeholders to share news, timetables and opportunities for social interactions. One potential use of this could be focused around the Asda and posting timings for deliveries to make residents aware in an effort to assist with traffic build up. It will also increase Dounby’s online presence when they search for such things as places to see in the West Mainland and where to stay/eat.

This workstream sits alongside the formation of a Team Dounby, who as a group will take on the role of driving this new vision forward.

Funding and Partners

• Tourism and Leisure teams, Orkney Islands Council
• Development and Marine Planning, Orkney Islands Council
• Economic Development, Orkney Islands Council
• Estates, Orkney Islands Council
• The Community – Parent Council and the existing services and businesses of the village
• Destination Orkney / Visit Scotland

IMAGE: Illustrative webpage for the Dounby community titled “DOUNBY ONLINE?” with a search field and sections for News, Schedules, Members, Updates, Resources, Tourism, Leisure, Business, Services and Info.

Next steps

The Vision, themes and work stream in this report have been co-produced with the local community in Dounby. The document aims to help the community to achieve its vision by:

• Providing a long-term vision and themes against which all future projects and proposals can be assessed;
• Identifying a list of priority proposals and relevant partners and funding links;
• Helping the council and its community planning partners to understand the local community’s aspirations, and to target their services and investments to be as responsive as possible;
• Informing the next review of the Local Development Plan and Dounby Settlement Statement, particularly in relation to issues such as the location and nature of new housing, how the service centre of the village should be supported and protected, the design and use of existing public open spaces and how Dounby can capitalise on its existing character and identity to draw in new residents and tourism.

For further information please contact Council Development and Marine Planning by email:

devplan@orkney.gov.uk

IMAGE: Aerial photograph showing the rural landscape south of Dounby, including fields, farm buildings, roads, wetlands and distant coastline. The image is accompanied by the Orkney Islands Council Development and Marine Planning and Orkney Islands Council logos.