Kilmacolm Residents' Association

A quick understanding of our Local Development Plan (LDP) Process

 

• The Scottish Government has a Strategic Plan for the whole of Scotland - Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) (June 2014).

• The Strategic Plan for Kilmacolm is covered by Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan (SDP), which was finally approved by Scottish Ministers on 24th July 2017.

• Inverclyde Council (IC) has to prepare an LDP which meets the requirement laid down in Clydeplan.

• In preparation they asked all the developers what proposals they have for housing - amongst other things – this was the ‘Call for Sites’ (June 2016)

• From this data, IC Planning Department produced the ‘Main Issues Report’ (March 2017) in which they thought that there was a requirement for 200 houses around Kilmacolm. 

• The IC Planning Department decided to pick West of Quarry Drive and Planetreeyetts as ‘preferred’ locations even although there was no requirement for them to do so.

• However, the KRA was formed to raise awareness of this – as most in Kilmacolm didn’t know about these Inverclyde Council Planning Officials 'preferred' proposals.

• From knowing nothing about the Planning System we had to learn how it works and read the Clydeplan Strategic Development Plan from cover to cover.

• When IC was preparing the draft LDP we made a presentation to them and provided a copy of our now famous Dossier.

• We proved that in Clydeplan there is NO requirement for any houses to be built at Kilmacolm or Quarriers Village.  There is a healthy surplus of land in the West Renfrewshire Housing Market Area (HMA) which our villages belong.  Yes, it might seem strange but for housing Kilmacolm is most definitely in Renfrewshire!

• IC accepted our proof and removed all requirements for the release of greenbelt around Kilmacolm and issued their draft LDP for consultation.

• Now, this wasn’t what all the developers want to hear – and they all made representations to IC to have the LDP changed.  This action created what IC calls Schedule 4s (un-resolved issues) and these are decided by a Reporter at the DPEA (Scottish Government).

• The Reporter has concluded his investigation and has written to Clydeplan and IC for further clarification on how the LDP was created.

• Clydeplan replied, “The SDP does not set out a housing land requirement for 200 houses in the Inverclyde part of the Renfrewshire housing sub-market area.”

• IC replied that their plan was fully in keeping with the SDP.

• Finally, the Reporter agreed with Inverclyde Council's LDP and the current greenbelt is still safe.

• Inverclyde Council now adopts the plan officially.

• Inverclyde Council has a proper 'Plan Led' LDP fully approved by the Scottish Government

• Is that the end? - Well no!

• Gladman Developments Ltd puts forward an application to build houses at Carsemeadow in Quarriers Village which is refused by Inverclyde Council (this doesn't include North Denniston - that will still come)

• The refusal was then referred to the DPEA (a Scottish Government department to resolve issues like this) and they agreed with Inverclyde Council that there was no need for this as it was not in the approved 'Plan Led' Local Development Plan.

• Gladman then appeals to the Court of Session and wins!

• The Carsemeadow application is returned to the DPEA to be re-considered.

• So we're now in the world of Court-Led Planning decisions!

• Meanwhile - the Scottish Ministers say that the action in the Court of Session undermines their requirement for a Plan-Led system in Scotland.

• A Consultation is then started to remove the 'Presumption' in favour of sustainable development and also make clarifications to how housing numbers are calculated.

• Then a Court of Session appeal by Mactaggart and Mickel has the Inverclyde Local Development Plan - Section 7 'quashed'

• Yet another Court-Led Planning decision!

• Then (03/09/2020) North Planning and Development (NPD) on behalf of Mactaggart and Mickel 'comment' on the Gladman Appeal at the DPEA that 'it should be us' and not Gladman who should build on Green Belt land at Kilmacolm and Quarriers Village part of the Renfrewshire sub-Housing Market Area!

• NPD also say "we are instructed by Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd to make a planning
  application for residential development (to include 25% affordable) at the site at Quarry Drive, Kilmacolm, and that this application will be submitted at the end of September/early October."   If that's not a direct challenge to the Scottish Government Consultation - what is!

• Mactaggart and Mickel have now put in their pre-application to build on Kilmacolm Meadow.

• There were over 487 objections submitted to Inverclyde Council!

• A last-minute twist of events has shocked everyone - Inverclyde Council have declared that there is a shortage of land for new houses and that they've moved the greenbelt boundary of Kilmacolm Meadow so now there are no reasons not to approve the application!!!

• So the Councillors have voted that Mactaggart and Mickel should get permission for Planning Permission in Principle on that site.

• Inverclyde Council has now sent the documents to the Scottish Ministers who will make a judgement on this proposal.

• Meantime we encourage the Residents of Kilmacolm to make an OBJECTION to the proposal in the proposed LDP - this could be the very last chance to STOP the destruction of Kilmacolm Meadow and the subsequent loss of other parts as a precedent will have been set for the other volume housebuilders

• Meanwhile, the case has been called in by the Scottish Government!  Read Here

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