Orkney Local Development Plan Scheme 2026/27

Newsletter

IMAGE: The cover identifies the document as the “Orkney Local Development Plan Scheme 2026/27 Newsletter”. It includes the Orkney Islands Council crest and Development & Marine Planning logo.

Contents

• What is a Local Development Plan?
• Consultation and Engagment
• Introduction
• Participation Statement
• The new Local Development Plan for Orkney
• Background to the new system
• Local Place Plans
• New-style Local Development Plan
• Evidence Base
• Gate Check
• Proposed Local Development Plan Consultation and LDP modified following consultation engagement
• Submission and Examination of the Proposed Local Development Plan
• Adopt Local Development and Publish Delivery Programme
• Key stages and Indicative Programme for Local Development Plan
• Glossary
• Preparation and Publication of the Proposed Local Development Plan
• Local Development Plan Updated Timeline and Key Stages 2026 – 2027

Introduction

This Local Development Plan newsletter provides an overview of the timetable and work programme for preparing the new Orkney Local Development Plan and sets out the work and engagement that has been completed over the last year. It also lets you know how and when you can get involved in the preparation of the Local Development Plan. This newsletter also acts as the Council’s Development Plan Scheme (DPS) that we submit annually to Scottish Government.

By law the Council is required to prepare a Development Plan Scheme, that includes a participation statement. This Development Plan Scheme will be referred to as Development Plan Scheme 2026 (DPS2026) and will detail the work programme ahead. Through legislation it has to be reviewed yearly and reported to our Council.

Since 2016, the Scottish Government have been reviewing the national planning system and a new Planning Act was published in July 2019. In May 2023, the Development Planning Regulations and Guidance were published which has changed the way in which LDPs are produced, including more opportunities for community engagement in Planning. These documents can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/local-development-planning-guidance/

DPS2026 sets out the programme for preparing and reviewing our Local Development Plan and explains what is likely to be involved at each stage. This Development Plan Scheme will cover the following:

• Provide an update on the focus of our work over the coming year and highlights work which has been completed.
• Indication of timescales for preparing a new Local Development Plan.
• Participation statement outlining how and when we will engage with our communities and stakeholders.

What is a Local Development Plan?

A LDP is a land use strategy document that details areas within a location that require to be protected for their value and areas for new development to meet the social, economic and housing needs of the location.

Under changes to the planning system the Scottish Government have adopted and published National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) that now provides all of Scotland with spatial principles, regional priorities, national developments and national planning policies.

Under planning legislation, NPF4 now forms part of the Development Plan and will be used to assess planning applications alongside policies in our LDP. This will likely lead to a reduction in the number and range of policies that we require in our LDP.

The new Local Development Plan for Orkney

Background to the new system

Under new legislation, our next LDP will aim to be more spatial in nature; meaning it will be more mapped based with many of the policies already detailed in NPF4. There is now a focus on place planning, an infrastructure first approach to development, a focus on development delivery and a clear ambition that land use planning will assist in tackling the climate and nature crisis currently facing Scotland.

The Scottish Government now expects all planning authorities to have a new look LDP within the next 5 years of NPF4 being adopted; and this next Plan will be in place for a 10-year period.

The reforms to Scotland’s planning system are being brought about by implementation of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. Further information on how it was developed can be found at https://www.transformingplanning.scot/planning-reform/how-we-got-here/

Scotland’s reformed planning system includes changes to the key steps for preparing a LDP.

New-style Local Development Plan

Preparation of a new-style LDP will include:

• Evidence-gathering, including for example through a range of audits and community/stakeholder engagement, leading to an Evidence Report.
• Submission of the Evidence Report to Scottish Ministers for an independent GateCheck.
• Plan preparation, leading to publication of the Proposed Plan for consultation.
• Submission of the Proposed Plan to Scottish Ministers for an independent examination of outstanding issues; and
• Adoption of the Plan.

Local Place Plans

The Scottish Government has also introduced Local Place Plans so that communities can have a more direct role in the decisions that influence their local community. Local Place Plans are a new requirement of the Planning Act, and the government has published a Circular (Circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans) which provides guidance for both communities and planning authorities on the preparation, submission and registration of Local Place Plans.

Once Local Place Plans have been registered by the planning authority, we have a legal responsibility to take them into account in the preparation of the LDP.

As part of the early engagement on the LDP during 2024 we held a number of community conversations and engagement events where we used the events to highlight to communities the opportunity to prepare a Local Place Plan. In addition to this, in January 2024 we formally invited communities the opportunity to prepare a Local Place Plan through advertising in the local press and writing to each Community Council. There have been a number of communities that have expressed an interest in developing a Local Place Plan. As part of the support for communities we have developed guidance on our website where communities are signposted to relevant examples and useful advice.

As of February 2026 there has been three Local Place Plans registered and we are aware of several others about to be submitted for registration.

IMAGE: Three Local Place Plan covers are shown: “DOUNBY COMMUNITY PLAN”, “STENNESS LOCAL PLACE PLAN” from Stenness Community Association, dated May 2025, and “BIRSAY LOCAL PLACE PLAN” from Birsay Community Council. The background imagery and text on the Stenness cover are not fully legible.

Consultation and Engagement

Participation Statement

The Participation Statement sets out when, how and why you should get involved in the various stages of preparing the LDP. The experience of preparing previous LDPs has helped us learn how to improve the way we include the public and reach a wide range of people.

The Planning Act has set a clear direction to improve engagement and help people in communities find a way to influence how their community and the place they live will change for the better in the future. When preparing the LDP we will share information and focus on early and meaningful consultation. We want to do the best we can to encourage people to take part and have their opinions and ideas heard so we will use the methods that have been shown to work and are now considered best practice for engaging with people.

Everyone will have an opportunity to get involved and comment throughout the LDP at the various stages of its preparation, including having a say on how you would like to be involved.

When the proposed LDP has been published the opportunity for further engagement is a much more formal process, so we have been seeking to ensure everyone has had the opportunity to input at the earlier stages of the plan preparation process such as during the evidence base stage and before drafting of the proposed LDP has been started.

Ensuring the public and other key stakeholders are informed and made aware of when events are happening is crucial to this. This is done by publicising events and consultations on our website, through Council social media accounts, using email updates and using local media such as the Orcadian and Radio Orkney.

IMAGE: A diagram places “LDP” at the centre and connects it to eight engagement groups: “Key agencies: Internal and External”, “Elected Members”, “Community Councils”, “Children and Young People”, “General Public”, “People with Disabilities”, “Parents and Carers”, and “Other Stakeholders”.

Figure 1: Diagram of Engagement

Throughout the preparation of LDP, we will consult and engage with the following groups:

• The general public.
• Within the Council it will be important to engage with relevant services, including economic development, housing, education, waste, transport, roads, environmental health and estates, from the outset.
• Elected Members will also be closely involved in process, informing and inputting during the Plan’s preparation including consideration and approval of key stage documents such as the Evidence report and Proposed Plan.
• Community Planning Partnership.
• Under-represented groups such as disabled people, children and young people, gypsies and travellers (note: there are no gypsy or traveller sites within Orkney and the Housing Need and Demand Assessments have not identified any specific need, but we are still to consider if engagement is required).
• Community groups, organisations and their representatives, including Community Councils and Development Trusts.
• Interest groups such as the National Farmers Union (NFU).
• The third sector through Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO).
• Stakeholders and key agencies such as SEPA, Historic Environment Scotland and Nature Scot.
• Scottish Government and Marine Scotland.
• Our Neighbouring Authorities.
• Higher Education – UHI, Heriot Watt University and Robert Gordons University.
• Private sector such as business interests, landowners, and developers such as renewable energy, house builders and the aquaculture industry.
• Other groups with a wide interest such as Sustrans, tourism and nature conservation organisations.

Proposed methods for information sharing, engagement and consultation for the preparation of the LDP may include:

• Press releases.
• Social media alerts.
• Information and updates on Council webpage.
• Directly notifying people signed up to our news and updates mailing list.
• In person and digital meetings and discussions.
• Community Council meetings.
• Drop-in sessions and workshops in various locations across Orkney.
• Engaging with under-represented groups.
• Creative approaches to place making.
• Notifying neighbouring properties to sites that are being considered for inclusion within the plan.
• Online and printed questionnaire.

Local Development Plan Updated Timeline and Key Stages 2026 – 2027

Since the publication of the previous Development Plan Scheme, there have been a need to make significant updates to the timeline for preparing the Local Development. This is due to several reasons including:

• Requiring to resubmit an updated Evidence Report back to the Scottish Government to undergo a further Gatecheck process.
• Provide additional time for the LDP to take account of relevant studies to ensure an infrastructure first approach to future land allocations and consider the latest available information on coastal vulnerabilities to flooding, surface water management requirements in Kirkwall and future harbour masterplan priorities.
• Provide further time for communities to prepare and submit Local Place Plans and undertake stakeholder engagement on key policy areas.

Evidence Report

The Evidence Report is a new element to the process where we must gather evidence as to why we need a new LDP and show what evidence we have that supports the aims and aspirations for development planning in Orkney. Some information is required by law and is set out in the Planning Act, development planning regulations or development planning guidance.

Under the new plan-making system, the Evidence Report is intended to front load the work and use the evidence to clearly inform what to plan for, before the Proposed LDP looks at where development should take place. The Evidence Report provides a summary of the evidence and analysis of what it means for the plan, informed by the views of those who are anticipated to be affected by the plan, and involved in its implementation.

From previous work there was already a wealth of baseline information, for example, for a number of years we have collected data and have been monitoring the present LDP and associated planning policy documents.

Research was commissioned where gaps in information have been identified in the Evidence Report. For example, work to prepare a surface water management study for Kirkwall.

An important element of the evidence gathering work was engaging with a wide range of communities and other stakeholders to understand their views of the baseline information across a range of topics including existing infrastructure, housing, and the existing natural and historic assets. We have also sought to understand their priorities for the future which we should plan for. All this information directly informed the evidence base.

As part of the community engagement, several community consultation events were undertaken including meeting with a number of community councils and attending different stakeholder forums such as the business forum. A “call for ideas” consultation was also undertaken which included the opportunity for landowners to submit their land for inclusion in the LDP with 230 sites submitted.

These are being analysed for suitability. A play sufficiency assessment has also been prepared. In order to undertake this assessment, there was engagement with over 340 young people or their carers. A detailed write up of the existing play and hang out provision has been developed and this includes details of the feedback we have heard on each of these outdoor play and hang out spaces.

Evidence that was provided to the Scottish Government formally through a Gatecheck process included:

• Geographical Demographics (school rolls, birth and death rates, healthcare statistics, inward migration).
• Housing Need and Demand Assessment.
• Economic Change (Agriculture, Energy, Tourism, Food and Drink, Retail).
• Digital Connectivity.
• Sustainable Transport Data.
• Environmental baseline and issues (Historical and Natural).
• Evidence of Community Engagement and Consultation (Local Place Plans).
• Open Space Strategy and Play Sufficiency Assessment.
• Self-Build Housing Demand Register.
• Evaluate whether the previous plan has delivered on its outcomes, and allocations and consider appropriateness of previous strategy.
• Infrastructure such as communications, transport, drainage systems, supply of water, energy, health care and education facilities of the county and how it is used.

During the evidence gathering stage, the commencement of the process of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the new LDP was prepared – specifically, preparation of the Scoping Report. Other assessments will also be prepared for the Local Development Plan including a Public Sector Equality Duty Assessment, a Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment, an Island Communities Impact Assessment and a Habitats Regulations Appraisal. These will each have their own work programmes.

Gatecheck

The Gatecheck provides an independent assessment of whether the planning authority has sufficient information to prepare a LDP. It is carried out by a person appointed by Scottish Ministers, usually a Reporter from the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA). As this is an independent process we are not in control of the timings.

Following Council approval in June 2025, the Evidence Report and accompanying documentation was submitted to the Scottish Government in for the Gatecheck Assessment. Unfortunately, this was returned to the Council resulting in further evidence being prepared specifically on exceeding the NPF4 housing requirement. The resubmission of the Evidence Report was submitted in March 2026 and the outcome of the resubmission is currently awaited.

Current Stage – estimated complete May 2026

Preparation and Publication of the Proposed Local Development Plan

The proposed LDP will be a document that identifies where the planning system can have the greatest influence to achieve the objectives set out in the Evidence Report. The next LDP will place a greater focus on place-based planning, identifying areas where significant change is required that the planning system can support. It is anticipated that there will be an emphasis on maps and settlement statements within the document.

Sites specifically identified for development will have been assessed as being deliverable and free from major constraints as far as possible; where necessary there will be details on infrastructure requirements that a developer will be expected to deliver as part of any development.

The next plan is likely to have less policy wording to reflect the new role of National Planning Framework 4, and where bespoke tailored policies are required, this will only be for the purpose of adding value or filling gaps on the interpretation of national policies or where a specific tailored local policy approach is required.

Prior to drafting the proposed LDP there will be engagement with key stakeholders identified in the Participation Statement and account will be taken of any Place Plans that have been submitted.

Once the proposed LDP has been drafted it must be approved by the Council before being published for public consultation.

Drafting the Proposed Local Development is expected to be the most time-intensive stage of the process. Originally estimated in the last Development Plan Scheme for drafting to be completed in December 2025, this stage has now been rescheduled.

Work is now underway and now estimated to be complete in February 2027. The revised timeframe reflects adjustments to earlier stages such as the need to resubmit the evidence report and ensuring sufficient time to produce a comprehensive and well-informed draft plan based on uptodate evidence and undertake necessary assessments.

Work underway estimated complete Feb 2027

Proposed Local Development Plan Consultation and LDP modified following consultation engagement

There will be a minimum 12 week consultation on the proposed LDP and the draft Delivery Programme.

Following the close of the consultation on the proposed LDP, the Plan may be modified to take account of any representations, consultation responses, minor drafting or technical issues. There will be a modification report produced that outlines the changes to the proposed LDP.

Originally estimated for January to March 2026, this stage has now been rescheduled to be estimated to take place between May 2027 and August 2027.

Estimated May 27 – August 27

Submission and Examination of the Proposed Local Development Plan

Following the consultation on the proposed LDP and subsequent modifications, if there are still issues that have not been resolved through changes to the proposed LDP after consultation (unresolved representations) then these will be collated and a summary of unresolved issues produced. Scottish Ministers will then instruct the Department of Planning & Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) to conduct a Local Development Plan Examination into the modified proposed LDP.

Due to the new power to negotiate on representations received, it is anticipated that an examination will be smaller in scope than that seen in past LDPs given the weight of NPF4 and may take less time to complete.

This stage was previously scheduled for November 2026 to February 2027 but has now been rescheduled to take place between November 2027 and March 2028.

Estimated Date: November 2027 – March 2028

Adopt Local Development and Publish Delivery Programme

Once the examination report has been received by the Council it will need to make any modifications recommended by the DPEA to the LDP. That being the case the plan will be adopted to replace the existing Orkney Local Development Plan.

The Delivery Programme will be considered at the outset of plan preparation and run alongside it. It is instrumental to achieving an outcome focussed approach to development planning and will support delivery of the LDP. It will be developed to provide a clear route for delivery of sites and proposals in the adopted plan.

This milestone of adoption of the LDP was originally estimated for March 2027 but is now estimated for May 2028.

Estimated Date: May 2028

Key stages and Indicative Programme for Local Development Plan

* This date will depend on the complexity of issues in the updated Evidence Report.

** This date will depend on the number and complexity of representations received to the Proposed Plan.

The Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 state that Development Plan Schemes are to specify the Quarter (Q) in which the planning authority expects to publish certain elements of the Local Development Plan process.

This applies to the following stages:

• Publish Evidence Report Q2 2025 (June 2025)
• Publish Proposed Plan Q2 and Q3 2027 (May– August 2027)
• Send Proposed Plan to Scottish Ministers for examination Q4 2027 and Q1 2028 (November 2027– March 2028)
• Adopt LDP Q2 2028 (May 2028)

If you have any questions in respect of the Development Plan Scheme or would wish to be added to our content database, where we will regularly send email updates and notification of consultations then please contact us at devplan@orkney.gov.uk

Glossary

Call for ideas - Optional consultation phase to inform the proposed plan. It provides an opportunity for stakeholders including; landowners, developers and communities, to put forward ideas or sites they would like to be considered by the planning authority for inclusion in the LDP.

Development Plan - The statutory basis of planning decision making, comprising NPF4 and the LDP.

Evidence Report - A supporting document to the LDP. An Evidence Report summarises the evidence base for those proposals and policies set out in the development plan and demonstrates that appropriate consultation has been undertaken and regard given to the views of the community.

Examination - The Examination is the opportunity for independent consideration, by an appointed person, of any issues raised during the formal consultation on the Proposed Plan that have not been resolved through modifications.

Fairer Scotland Duty - The duty on public bodies in Scotland, including councils, to actively consider how they can reduce inequalities of outcome caused by socio-economic disadvantage when making strategic decisions. It is a requirement of the Equality Act 2010. The aim of the duty is to help the public sector make better policy decisions and deliver fairer outcomes. It should focus on socio-economic issues such as low income, low wealth and area deprivation.

Gatecheck - An assessment of the sufficiency of the evidence base on which the Proposed Plan will be developed.

Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) - Under the Habitats Regulations, all competent authorities must consider whether any plan or project could affect a European site before it can be authorised or carried out. This includes considering whether it will have a ‘likely significant effect’ on a European site, and if so, they must carry out an ‘appropriate assessment’ (AA). This process is known as Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA).

Housing Land Audit (HLA) - The annual HLA will monitor the delivery of housing land including past completions and future programming. It will inform the pipeline and actions to be taken in the Delivery Programme.

Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) – A HNDA estimates the number of additional housing units needed to meet existing and future housing need (social housing) and demand (market housing). It also captures information on the operation of the housing system to assist local authorities to develop policies on new housing supply, management of existing stock, specialist housing provision and the provision of housing-related services. HNDAs are undertaken by local authorities or groups of authorities every five years.

Infrastructure first – Approach that puts infrastructure considerations at the heart of development planning.

Island Communities Impact Assessment – The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 placed new duties on public authorities to consider the effect of their policies, strategies and services on an ‘island community’.

Local place plan (LPP) - A LPP is a community-led plan setting out proposals for the development and use of land and a community’s aspirations for its future development. Once registered they are to be taken into account in the preparation of the relevant LDP.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) - a long-term plan looking to 2045 that guides spatial development, sets out national planning policies, designates national developments and highlights regional spatial priorities. It is part of the development plan.

Open Space Strategy (OSS) - An open space strategy is to set out a strategic framework of the planning authority’s policies and proposals as to the development, maintenance and use of green infrastructure in their district, including open spaces and green networks. It must contain; an audit of existing open space provision, an assessment of current and future requirements, and any other matter which the planning authority consider appropriate.

Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA) - A play sufficiency assessment is the assessment of the sufficiency of play opportunities for children in their area, carried out by a planning authority under the duty as set out in Section 16D(1) of the Town and Country Planning Scotland Act 1997, as amended, and must be done by the planning authority in preparing an Evidence Report.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) - Strategic Environmental Assessment is a procedure to assess the environmental impact and sustainability of a proposed or existing policy, plan, or programme.