STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT 
PLANNING & THE JOINT STRUCTURE PLAN 2000

Development planning is a key public sector process in all modern western democracies, and deals with the use of land for a range of development purposes - e.g. housing, commerce, infrastructure, etc. In the same way as a Commercial Business would neither grow nor manage its business without a long-term vision and a long-term business plan, Government, at all levels, must organise and control society’s use of its finite land resource similarly, with clear long-term vision and clear plans for where development is required.. This process is a statutory one - framed within parliamentary legislation, both primary and secondary. The key statute in Scotland currently is the Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (but see ‘Latest News’ – ‘Developments in the Scottish Planning System’), although this is supplemented by a range of other statutes, circulars and Governmental guidance. At the strategic level, in Scotland, this statutory requirement is effected by individual Local Authorities working together at the metropolitan level, within a Scotland-wide development framework provided by the Scottish Executive - the ‘National Planning Framework for Scotland, 2004’. Under the Scottish system, strategic development plans required to be ‘approved’ by Scottish Ministers; this is the final legislative step in the process, an important step which gives rigour and profile to such plans, and places them firmly within the Executive’s long-term vision for the growth and development of Scotland.

Glasgow & the Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan - the 2000 Structure Plan 

Consequently, the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2000 is the key strategic development document prepared jointly for eight Local Authority areas in Western Scotland, covering more than 35% of Scotland’s population. It sets out a twenty-year Strategy for the development of the Glasgow & Clyde Valley metropolitan area, with a clear focus on sustainable development and metropolitan regeneration. The Plan is proactive and has a clear development geography. As such, it defines the location of development priorities and provides the framework for the more detailed local and master planning of individual Local Authorities (the most detailed level of development planning in Scotland). At the same time, it seeks to provide a focus for the investment resources of both public and private sectors, and to build delivery partnerships to achieve the strategic objectives of the Plan.

 
Synopsis of the Plan

The Plan is essentially a geographical or spatial strategy for developing the Glasgow & Clyde Valley area over the next twenty years. At its core, are three interlocking concepts - community regeneration, a development corridor running east - west as a hinge through the centre of the area, and a Green Network of interlocking economic, social and environmental objectives. As main ‘engines’ of this strategy, a number of ‘Metropolitan Flagship Initiatives’ have been designated which, in themselves, are microcosms of the Plan, framing a significant range of interlocking aims and objectives within distinct geographical sub-units of the wider Plan area. Hence the designation of the Clyde Waterfront, the Clyde ‘Gateway’ and Lanarkshire’s Ravenscraig as these key development ‘engines’; each of these complex regeneration sub-strategies in their own right. These priorities are supported by some existing development priorities - e.g. Glasgow International Airport, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, Glasgow’s New Neighbourhoods, Central Scotland Forest and the Forth & Clyde Millennium Link. The Plan also defines major growth potential for Bishopton and Gartcosh in the second half of the Plan period, beyond 2010.

At a more detailed level, the strategy identifies specific Town Centres as foci for investment; makes allocation of locations for new housing, industry and business, and sets out a detailed set of transport priorities which are needed to facilitate access to existing and future development areas. On the environmental front, the Plan identifies priorities for positive environmental action, as well as policy safeguarding for sensitive environmental resources.
Two Alterations to the Approved Plan have been approved by the Scottish Ministers – First Alteration – Spring 2003 ‘Ravenscraig – Strategic Planning Role’ and the Second Alteration, Spring 2004 ‘Glasgow International Airport – Strategic Planning Role’ 

The complete Plan and Approved Alterations are available for viewing in a fully indexed form.