Land Planning and Development Business & Improvement Plan 2025-2028

Land Planning and Development work to deliver the Council and Community Planning Partnership’s overarching vision of working together to achieve the best with the people of East Dunbartonshire and, in so doing, supports all the outcomes contained in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and, in particular:

• Local Outcome 1: East Dunbartonshire has a sustainable and resilient economy with busy town and village centres, a growing business base, and is an attractive place in which to invest and visit
• Local Outcome 4: East Dunbartonshire is a safe place in which to live, work and visit
• Local Outcome 5:  Our people experience good physical and mental health and wellbeing with access to a quality built and natural environment in which to lead healthier and more active lifestyles
• Local Outcome 6: Our older population and more vulnerable citizens are supported to maintain their independence and enjoy a high quality of life, and support they, their families and carers benefit from effective care and support services 

The Land Planning and Development service works with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver the Council’s and its partners’ strategies and programmes in a way that supports the delivery of the local outcomes. The service does this by:

• Creating the policy framework and providing technical support for land-use, greenspace, biodiversity, climate change, sustainability, waste reduction and circular economy, decarbonised heat and energy efficiency, economic development, sustainable transportation, and regeneration
• Developing a range of policies, plans, programmes, strategies and projects which support sustainable place-making by:
  • Generating income to deliver on a range of policy objectives through project delivery
  • Assisting businesses, encouraging business growth and inward investment, and promoting community wealth building;
  • Facilitating and managing built development;
  • Promoting and developing visitor assets;
  • Regenerating our town and village centres ;
  • Improving sustainable transport infrastructure and promoting sustainable travel habits” as “encouraging behaviour change;
  • Supporting the delivery of new homes, including high quality affordable housing, to meet local needs;
  • Safeguarding and improving greenspace and biodiversity;
  • Addressing the need to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change at a corporate level and in partnership across East Dunbartonshire;
• Development and implementation of projects and initiatives designed to deliver on the above range of policies. To support and enable this delivery secure and administer a range of external funding sources. 

In carrying out our remit to achieve sustainable place-making; and to support the delivery of economic growth that is socially and environmentally sustainable, the service reflects the Council’s values of focusing on our customers; our employees; partnership; innovation and the pursuit of excellence.  This we aim to do whilst taking account of the wider economic, social and environmental factors which impact on individuals, communities and businesses across East Dunbartonshire.

Work of the Teams

The Land Planning and Development service comprises of 11 teams: 

• Land Planning Policy
• Sustainability Policy
• GIS
• Building Standards
• Development Applications (Planning)
• Validation
• Regeneration and Town Centres
• Business Support
• Traffic and Transport
• City Deal
• Housing Operations Policy & Systems.

Land Planning Policy

• The Land Planning Policy team leads on the creation of the strategic and local policy framework for land-use, economic development and circular economy, community wealth building, biodiversity and greenspace, and food growing and allotment provision together with supporting guidance, and the preparation, consultation, monitoring and review of related plans, programmes and strategies
• The team is responsible for the production of a Local Development Plan (LDP) which forms the local spatial strategy for East Dunbartonshire and is a key material consideration in the determination of planning applications in the area. The current LDP was adopted in November 2022 and is expected to run until February 2028. Work is now underway on preparing the next LDP (LDP 3) and this will be a continuing priority for the Land Planning Policy Team throughout the period to 2027  LDP 3 will replace the existing LDP 2 in early 2028
• The team co-ordinates economic development and resource efficiency policy through the Economic Development Strategy, Economic Recovery Plan and Circular Economy Strategy. The team leads the Local Outcome 1 delivery group and facilitates East Dunbartonshire Economic Partnership to deliver the actions detailed in the Economic Recovery Plan. During 2025/26 work will continue on the development of a replacement Economic Development Strategy, including the incorporation of new requirements on community wealth building
• The team also leads on biodiversity, greenspace and food growing policy through the Open Space Strategy, Green Network Strategy, emerging Greenspace Strategy, Local Biodiversity Action Plan and Food Growing Strategy.
  

Sustainability Policy

• The Sustainability Policy Team develops and delivers the Council’s sustainability policies, strategies and guidance and ensures compliance with sustainability, climate change and transport legislation
• The team is responsible for the preparation, consultation, monitoring and review of the Council’s Sustainability & Climate Change Framework; the Climate Action Plan (CAP) which supports delivery of corporate and area-wide net zero targets and climate change adaptation; the Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) which forms the basis for implementing heat decarbonisation and improving energy efficiency in buildings, and developing a strategy for heat networks. As part of its work on the CAP and LHEES, the team utilises carbon budgets and emissions modelling to identify, review and monitor delivery of the pathway to deliver the Council’s net zero targets, and co-ordinates the Council’s carbon accounting through the collation of a Carbon Management Plan and Public Bodies Climate Change Duties report. The team is also responsible for transport policy, including preparation, consultation, monitoring and review of the Local Transport Strategy and Active Travel Strategy
• The team works closely with other teams across the Council and with Community Planning partners to support the delivery of the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan, to ensure that our actions today do not limit our quality of life in the future and that the outcomes of the Council’s actions and activities are assessed in terms of social, economic and environmental sustainability
• The team is also responsible for co-ordinating strategic environmental assessment (SEA) across the Council, and ensuring compliance with our statutory duties in relation to SEA. The Sustainability Policy team co-ordinate compliance with statutory duties in relation to SEA and provide an advisory role in relation to SEA across the Council.

GIS Team

• The GIS Team provides innovation in data gathering, analysis and publication and the secure sharing and storage of data, to help inform Council decisions. The team also aims to utilise desktop and mobile applications to improve collaboration between teams and external parties and use this technology to improve partnership working with residents and key stakeholders, ensuring that they are fully consulted and informed of how proposed changes or developments will impact their lives and the places that they live. The work of the team contributes to the digital transformation agenda, using geospatial and automation technology to improve customer service delivery
• The team also have full responsibility as data custodians for the Corporate Address Gazetteer (CAG), which contains addresses for all properties in East Dunbartonshire, to ensure that every address meets the Scottish Gazetteer conventions set out by the Scottish Government as part of the One Scotland Gazetteer guidelines. The team is responsible for integration of the CAG into all systems throughout the council to enable accurate data analysis to be carried out
• To team leads on ePlanning and eBuilding Standards workflows, providing a range of technical support for the Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health teams. The team are also the lead contact for third party suppliers and ICT during all upgrades and software resolution.
  

Building Standards

• The Building Standards Team preform the role of Local Authority verifiers. The team undertakes a range of functions relating to building design and construction, including the processing of Building Warrants which ensures that development proposals comply with national regulations. The team also issues Completion Certificates which is required before a building can be occupied or brought into use and is responsible for taking action on dangerous buildings
• The team contributes towards Local Outcome 4 and Local Outcome 5 by ensuring compliance with the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 which came into force in 2005. The Act focuses on the health, safety, welfare and convenience of people in and around buildings, the conservation of fuel and power within buildings and sustainable development.
  

Development Applications (Planning)

• The Development Applications Team manages the development management functions of the Council, including pre-application advice, and assessment of all planning applications and management of development activity
• The assessment of development applications is carried out in line with local and national policies whilst ensuring that individuals and communities have the opportunity to make representations within these processes
• The Development Applications team includes the enforcement function which is responsible for ensuring compliance with approved development conditions and statutory regulations 
• The team contributes towards Local Outcome 1 and Local Outcome 5.

Validation Team

• Provides initial stage support for the validation process for all planning and building standards development applications including enquiries and receipt of applications
• Provides general support to the work of the Planning and Building Standards teams, for example in issuing of decision notices for planning permission and building warrants
• The Validation Team are often the first contact that the public make with the planning and building standards service and advise customers on general enquiries and invalid applications on a regular basis.

Regeneration & Town Centres Team

• The Regeneration & Town Centres Team leads on supporting the improvement of our town and village centres working with other Council teams, partners and local communities to develop, support and implement a range of projects focused on regeneration and tourism. The team will support and lead on initiatives to develop the area’s visitor economy including support for local community and business run events, and the promotion of key visitor assets (for example the West Highland Way). The team’s regeneration work primarily focuses on areas of deprivation (Locality areas), such as Lennoxtown. The team generates and utilises external funding to deliver many of its projects and initiatives. Examples include Cowgate Street Design, Business Gateway Masterplan and Regent Gardens in Kirkintilloch, Campsie Memorial Hall in Lennoxtown, Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre and the Milngavie Clock. The projects were developed in partnership with local businesses and the community. The Year 1-3 £3.5m Shared Prosperity Fund programme for the Council was administered and coordinated through the Place & Business Development Service (Regeneration & Town Centres team), and this will continue into a fourth-year programme expansion. This fund is utilised by a range of Council service areas to deliver a range of projects under the three fund themes of Local Business Support, Communities & Place, People & Skills, and Multiply (Numeracy). 

Business Support Team

• The Business Support Team leads on the Council’s range of programmes and services to support business and facilitate sustainable economic growth and business development. The team deliver many programmes and services through the use of external business support funding, for example UKSPF which supported over 40 companies with both expertise and grants to streamline and improve their businesses, either through adoption of digital technologies or carbon reducing equipment in support of climate change This includes the direct proactive engagement with on-going support to local businesses including social enterprises, through the delivery of the Council’s Business Gateway contract to encourage and support Small Medium Enterprise start up business, business growth, and digital support. The team delivers a range of projects directed through local economic strategy with focus on encouraging local young enterprise, women in business, climate resilient economic development, Community Wealth Building and Inward Investment. The team will deliver business grants, utilising external funding opportunities, which can help support these areas of focus including advisory services for financial requirements and other public sector grants and support that may be available through partner agencies

Traffic and Transport

• The Traffic and Transport Team lead on the delivery of capital projects stemming from the Local Transport Strategy, Active Travel Strategy, actions contained within Open Space Strategy and Green Network Strategy, Air Quality Action Plans, and some work to support regeneration masterplans. The strategies and plans provide remitted projects for Officers to evolve and deliver, when funding is available
• The majority of the team’s work is delivered using external transport grant income and external funding opportunities. In the last 12 months this external funding has delivered many sustainable transport projects including A807 Active Travel Corridor phase 1 (1a), feasibility work for active travel at the Kirkintilloch Gateway Masterplan area, elements within Canniesburn Toll, and various capital path improvements
• The team works closely with other teams across the Council and in the Community, delivering a range of active travel and behaviour change initiatives.  The team lead on the management of the core path network to provide opportunities for outdoor access for leisure and sustainable forms of transport
• The team is responsible for electric vehicle charging and running of the EV public network. The team also leads on Parking Management and the preparation and delivery of Traffic Regulation Orders across the Authority.

City Deal Team

• The City Deal Team are responsible for developing and implementing the multi-million-pound programme of projects against the proposals for the Bishopbriggs area identified within the Council’s approved Outline Business Case. The team will ensure the development and delivery of City Deal including the preparation of the different stages of business cases (in-line with City Deal & HM Greenbook requirements), programme management, project development and delivery. The team generates and utilises external funding to delivery many of its projects and initiative
• Establishing a long-term vision to shape development and encourage inward investment in the east of the authority to create good quality jobs for Bishopbriggs, Auchinairn and the wider community, in collaboration with the Business Development team
• Enable the protection and enhancement of the natural environment as well as the creation of green links, and health and wellbeing improvements via path accessibility, active travel, public transport and open spaces to improve access to employment opportunities
• Working towards alleviating traffic congestion, improving air quality, and providing access to strategic development sites
• Attracting investment and helping to reduce vacancy rates in the Town Centre by adding businesses value proximity to public space and the quality of the streetscape to attract customers or tenants
• These improvements are largely informed by adopting the actions implicit within East Dunbartonshire Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP2).

Housing Operations, Policy and Systems Team

• The Housing Operations, Policy and Systems Team are responsible for developing and implementing the Local Housing Strategy (LHS) that provides the strategic vision to enable the Council and its partners to invest in the delivery of high-quality affordable housing and housing related services, across all tenures, to meet identified need within the locality. The team focus on policy reviews in conjunction with tenant consultation to ensure a robust and effective housing service. Performance is monitored and benchmarked against other Local Authorities in Scotland to identify areas that may need to improve. The Systems Team is key to maintaining an efficient Housing Management System, developing modules in response to legislative changes to capture data required to demonstrate compliance with the Scottish Social Housing Charter. 

The Land Planning and Development service’s priorities are guided by the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan Local Outcomes 1, 4, 5 and 6 and Guiding Principles, a range of statutory requirements, national legislation and regional priorities. In meeting these priorities and requirements, the service’s work is underpinned by a detailed and evolving knowledge of local communities, ongoing consultation, best practice and benchmarking. As such the following strategic priorities exist for the service:

• Lead on a range of policies, projects and interventions, which contribute to a sustainable and resilient economy with busy town and village centres, a growing business base, and is an attractive place in which to visit and invest.  This includes delivering business support services and Business Gateway, develop and implementation of range of town centre, tourism and regeneration projects to support the local economy, town centres, place making and locality areas, with a focus on Lennoxtown
• Implement a range of sustainable transport and active travel projects which deliver on the commitments of the Council’s Local Transport Strategy and the Regional Transport Strategy; and develop an updated Active Travel Strategy with a focus on enabling modal shift and reflecting our position as part of the wider city region
• Delivery the Council’s City Deal Project as informed by the approved Outline Business Case to support regeneration in the Bishopbriggs area. In developing the next stage of full business cases, to ensure the delivery of long terms improvement of Bishopbriggs around the town centre and the Westerhill Masterplan area
• Co-ordinate the Council’s response to the challenge of both the climate and ecological emergencies through the development of a Climate Action Plan and implementation of the Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan, which will assess options to reduce both corporate and area-wide greenhouse gas emissions to contribute to Scottish Government targets, adapt to the effects of climate change, and identify priorities for decarbonising buildings; and promotion of circular economy and efficient resource use through the implementation of the Circular Economy Strategy
• Work with teams across the Council to maintain progress in reducing corporate emissions and to work towards achievement of the emissions reduction targets set out in the Carbon Management Plan
• Production of the Local Development Plan for East Dunbartonshire in line with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2006 and 2019 and other legislation
• Produce the Greenspace Strategy for East Dunbartonshire, setting a policy framework for the provision and improvement of our open spaces and play facilities, the protection and enhancement of nature networks, and to enhance the biodiversity and recreational value and the climate resilience of our green spaces
• Deliver the Council’s statutory functions for planning applications and the continuous improvement as set out in the annual Planning Improvement Framework.
• Deliver the Council’s statutory functions for Building Standards in line with the Building Standards verification performance framework  
• Deliver continuous improvement in utilising technology and spatial data to improve efficiencies and effective decision making. 

The Land Planning and Development Service lead or play a supporting role in delivering a number of the Refreshed Priorities for East Dunbartonshire Council 2022 – 2027 including:

• Work with partner agencies to eradicate digital exclusion.
• Ensure meaningful engagement with local residents to ensure their views shape town centre regeneration, promoting growth in the local business base and improving access to local services to develop vibrant town centres, which are attractive places to visit and invest
• Support the council’s City Deal projects, including the completion of the Westerhill Development Road, investment at Westerhill, and redevelopment of Bishoprbriggs Town Centre
• Work with partners and the Scottish Government to take forward ambitions for and principles of “20-minute neighbourhoods” across East Dunbartonshire, recognising that every place is different, as are the needs of its residents
• Commit that measures to tackle the climate emergency will be central to the council’s policy making processes and corporate objectives, and that our corporate estate meets all modern standards for energy efficiency to help achieve climate change targets and secure external funding
• Promote building decarbonisation and improved energy efficiency in buildings, including the development of heat networks and other actions from the LHEES Delivery Plan, in accordance with the Heat in Buildings agenda, and Heat Networks and Local Heat and Energy Efficiency legislation
• Aligned to tackling fuel poverty and climate change, the LHS is required to provide evidence and policy direction in relation to the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2), improving housing quality and repairing standards across all tenures
• Work in partnership with the Clyde Metro Team to investigate the feasibility for improved rail and new bus rapid transit infrastructure in East Dunbartonshire
• Work with other authorities in the Greater Glasgow area to make full use of the powers in the Transport Scotland Act (2019) to promote sustainable travel and an integrated public transport system as well as promoting the expansion of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure provision
• Invest in active travel infrastructure within towns and villages, and between communities, to tackle traffic congestion and climate change, and improve safety and accessibility for both pedestrians and cyclists
• Invest in parks, open spaces and nature networks, to improve biodiversity and provide a quality resource for local residents, with modern accessible play equipment for children, and facilities that meet the needs of young people
• Seek to meet the increasing demand for community gardens and food growing spaces to improve the quality of life for local residents
• Do more to protect and promote the built heritage of East Dunbartonshire.