National Planning Framework 2 - Consultation - Councillors Seminar

National Planning Framework 2 - Consultation - Councillors Seminar - 29 June 2007

City Chambers - Edinburgh

Key Issues Minute

West Dunbartonshire Council

Welcomes opportunity to participate in the preparation of NPF2 and continued participation in the future.
Helpful if criteria could be made available.

Stirling Council

Welcomes any top level messages that NPF2 can provide in relation to Stirling becoming a capital city.
Main issues for Stirling are sustainability, addressing climate change and growing the economy.
River estuary energy technology should be promoted in NPF2.
NPF2 should be imaginative, for example incorporate renewable energy technology into the New Forth Crossing design.
NPF needs to tackle the big issues.
Major infrastructure needs to be placed in areas not at risk / be protected from climate change and flooding.
Major infrastructure should be multi-purpose, e.g. energy generation or transmission as well as transport.
Major infrastructure should be constructed with room for expansion built in, use examples from around the world, not simply what we can get away with.

Argyll and Bute Council

Remote and rural communities - need to consider different kinds of links, especially by ferry. Connectivity improvements required to assist natural momentum of settlements. Campbelltown is expecting a 24% population decline to 2030.
Development should be about quality of life for communities.
An islands interconnector would allow connection to the mainland grid.
Forestry still has economic importance but some areas may not be economic enough to be re-planted.
Timber routes should be kept away from small villages. Could new timber routes be planned for long-term future use as (walking and cycling) tourist attractions?
To what extent can forestry land be used for affordable housing? Note that the planning system is not the best way of delivering affordable housing. Note the creation of an affordable housing taskforce.
In-migration is creating housing demand but there are issues in retaining young people.

Eilean nan Siar

In-migration of older people has evened out population decline.
Potential 50% fall in school roll.
Problem that NPF1 has not delivered on addressing the issues raised.
Energy innovation zone is a Council-led initiative. Seeking support for energy portal. More of national contribution rather than national take.
Waste processing plant generates 1 MW of energy but can't connect to the grid.
Wave technology potential also constrained by lack of connection to the grid.

Renfrewshire Council

Concern regarding quality of baseline data, particularly regarding flooding. Need up to date quality data.

Aberdeenshire City Council

Not all national developments need to be big to achieve impact. National grid connections, for example.
Sygen (company) has technology to convert energy to hydrogen providing local fuel without the need to connect to the Grid. Some solutions do not need to be incorporated into NPF2.
Fear of what NPF2 might require communities to accept. Concern that communities should be consulted on national developments and that the NPF might place to great an emphasis on major infrastructure projects. Note difficulties of engagement at strategic levels; NPF2 can be a useful mechanism for building consensus for a general direction of travel; NPF2 will not be tackling issues rightfully for Councils.

Orkney Islands Council

Need a clear decision on the provision of electricity cables from the islands and identification of the implications for transmission on the mainland. Orkney is dealing with applications for wind farms. Need a firm steer on the interconnector issue before taking major energy generation decisions.
Container Hub (Scappa Flow). The need for economic growth and sustainability weigh heavily against environmental issues.
Need to assess issues of unemployment levels.
Potential for container transhipment facilities in Orkney. However, provision will be driven by the market. Need the planning process to react quickly when such projects come to the fore, as the locational competition is between Scotland and other international areas. NPF2 should support the issue.
Issue regarding speculative planning applications. NPF2 will need to achieve a balance between choice and focus.

Falkirk Council

Where will NPF2 fit into local council process? Note NPF2 to flag high level issues, financial and partnership issues. NPF2 will also help to boost investment confidence.

Dumfries & Galloway Council

The natural place to live, theme.
Rail links to the Central Belt are quite good, but further improvements are needed to encourage migration to the area.
Trying to be a tourism area but tension with renewable energy proposals, especially wind farm proposals. The volume of energy proposals leaves inadequate resources to keep other functions going.
Problem with decline of town centres in the area and out of town shopping centres undermining existing town centres. What can NPF2 do to stimulate town centres?

Aberdeenshire Council

Small town consideration positive. The identity of small towns requires recognition.
Local solutions for connectivity, travel and energy need to not be inhibited; 'New Localism'.

Inverclyde Council

NPF2 should support the regeneration efforts of Inverclyde Council to speed the delivery of change.
SPP6 not felt to be as helpful as it could be.
Grid issues are the most important in guiding energy development.

Scottish Borders Council

Waverley line.
Seek a decent road through the borders (A68 and A7 link).
A1 is a Borders bypass.
Concern that views will not be listened to.
Note strong Borders identity.
Note Borders part of the Edinburgh city region also. Edinburgh - Borders influence is a two way street.
Unclear as yet how much road development will contribute to the improvement of connectivity in Scotland. Note the need for open debate including on sustainability issues. Note STPR.

Perth and Kinross Council

Economy depends heavily on tourism.
Would welcome guidance on the number and location of wind farms in Scotland. Issue of wind farm refusals being overturned by Reporters.
Issue of out of town shopping centre refusal being overturned by Reporters.
TACTRAN - concern that rural stations will suffer under drive to reduce north-south journey times. Need more emphasis on access to transport. Reliability of journey time rather than length is the most important issue.

North Ayrshire Council

Waste (municipal and commercial) and the infrastructure for treatment requires consideration. Note some major elements of infrastructure could be national developments but also that local treatment is an emerging theme. Note that SEPA is assessing the case for commercial combustible waste to be used as an energy source.
Could regeneration areas be national developments?

City of Edinburgh Council

How responsive is NPF2 to revised political ambitions, especially around nuclear power? Note the potential for change in the future; NPF2 is about a long-term view, trying to build consensus, should be able to even out changes in political direction.
STPR status is similar to NPF2, infrastructure beyond 2010. Final report expected summer/autumn 2008, exercise running in parallel with NPF2. STPR is looking at the range of connectivity issues.