Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997

[F1 15 Form and content of local development plans S

(1) A local development plan is a plan in which is set out, for land in the part of the district to which it relates—

(a) a spatial strategy, being a detailed statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the development and use of the land [F2 taking account of the matters mentioned in subsection (5)],

(b) such other matters as may be prescribed, and

(c) any other matter which the planning authority consider it appropriate to include.

[F3 (1A) The local development plan must also include targets for meeting the housing needs of people living in the part of the district to which it relates.]

F4 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F5 (2A) A local development plan is to include a statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the provision of public conveniences.

(2B) A local development plan is to include a statement of the planning authority's policies and proposals as to the provision of water refill locations.]

(3) Where a local development plan contains policies or proposals for, or views as to, the occurrence of development on land owned by the planning authority, there is to be appended to the plan a schedule, in such form as may be prescribed, which identifies the land, states that it is so owned and refers to the policies, proposals or views in question.

(4) A local development plan is, for the purpose of explaining or illustrating the proposals in the plan, to contain or be accompanied by—

(a) such maps, diagrams, illustrations and descriptive matter as may be prescribed, and

(b) such other diagrams, illustrations and descriptive matter (if any) as the planning authority think appropriate.

(5) The matters referred to in subsection [F6 (1)(a)] are—

(a) the principal physical, [F7 cultural,] economic, social[F8 , built heritage] and environmental characteristics of the district,

(b) the principal purposes for which the land is used,

(c) the size, composition[F9 , health] and distribution of the population of the district,

[F10 (ca) the housing needs of the population of the area, including, in particular, the needs of persons undertaking further and higher education, older people and disabled people,

(cb) the availability of land in the district for housing, including for older people and disabled people,

(cc) the desirability of allocating land for the purposes of resettlement,

(cd) the health needs of the population of the district and the likely effects of development and use of land on those health needs,

(ce) the education needs of the population of the district and the likely effects of development and use of land on those education needs,

(cf) the extent to which there are rural areas within the district in relation to which there has been a substantial decline in population,

(cg) the capacity of education services in the district,

(ch) the desirability of maintaining an appropriate number and range of cultural venues and facilities (including in particular, but not limited to, live music venues) in the district,]

(d) the infrastructure of the district (including communications, transport and drainage systems[F11 , systems for the supply of water and energy, and health care and education facilities]),

(e) how that infrastructure is used, F12 ...

(f) any change which the planning authority think may occur in relation to any of the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) to[F13 (eb)].

[F14 (5A) In subsection (5)(d), references to systems for the supply of energy include in particular land available for the development and use of facilities for renewable sources of energy.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 2 substituted (19.5.2008 for specified purposes, 25.6.2008 for specified purposes, 28.2.2009 in so far as not already in force) by Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 17), ss. 2, 59(2) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.S.I. 2008/165, arts. 1, 2 and S.S.I. 2008/427, arts. 1(1), 2-5); S.S.I. 2008/164, art. 2(1)(2), sch.; S.S.I. 2009/70, art. 2, sch.

F2 Words in s. 15(1)(a) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(a), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F3 S. 15(1A) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(b), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F4 S. 15(2) repealed (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(c), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F5 S. 15(2A)(2B) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(d), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F6 Word in s. 15(5) substituted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(i), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F7 Word in s. 15(5)(a) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(ii), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F8 Words in s. 15(5)(a) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(iii), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F9 Word in s. 15(5)(c) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(iv), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F10 S. 15(5)(ca)-(ch) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(v), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F11 Words in s. 15(5)(d) substituted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(vi), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F12 Word in s. 15(5) repealed (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(vii), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F13 Word in s. 15(5)(f) substituted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(2)(e)(viii), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

F14 S. 15(5A) inserted (8.11.2019 for specified purposes, 19.5.2023 in so far as not already in force) by Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (asp 13), ss. 7(3), 63(2); S.S.I. 2019/314, reg. 2; S.S.I. 2023/100, reg. 2(2)(a) (with reg. 4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 15(1)(a) modified (27.3.2011) by The Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (S.S.I. 2011/228), reg. 1(1), sch. 4 para. 9 (with regs. 31-33)