West Loch Lomondside Local Place Plans

Supporting positive change in rural communities

In 2022 and 2023, Page\Park supported a consultation excercise with the communities, businesses and stakeholders of Luss & Arden, and Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui. Funded by Luss Estates Company, the consultation was carried out to understand current issues faced by the communities, and their aspirations for the future.

The result of this was the production of two Local Place Plans, one in each community, to help public bodies – primarily Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park – landowners, businesses and funders consider how they can best support positive change in the area. Local Place Plans were introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. This gives communities the right to produce their own plans as part of the new Scottish planning system.

The team used their tactile communicative skills to draw out our residents' hopes, aspirations and visions. Friendly professionalism meant we experienced a bespoke service and felt the benefit of guidance whilst on the 'Place Plan Journey'”

Michael Bainbridge
Secretary, Arrochar, Tarbet & Ardlui Community Council

Process

The first step in public consultation was the distribution of two surveys in summer 2022. The content and appearance of the surveys was guided by independent steering groups, made up of Community Council and Development Trust members, young parents, older people, teenagers, and business owners – among others. The result was a paper survey that was delivered to every house in the community, with extra copies in public places, and post-boxes to return them in multiple locations. This was accompanied by an online version, which was distributed by QR codes on buses, in shops, on social media, and in the local newspapers. Over 400 people in total shared their aspirations for their local communities.

The survey was followed up with two rounds of consultation events in each community, firstly to share the survey results and agree the priorities, and then to invite comment on suggested aims and actions for each place.

Outcomes

With the support of Page\Park and Nick Wright Planning, and the financial support of Luss Estates Company and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, both communities have now completed Local Place Plans. Each is envisaged as covering a 5-10 year period until approximately 2030. The aims and actions of the communities are set out according to the six themes which emerged from the consultation: