LDP Evidence Report - Town Centres and Retail

This survey has now closed, 

The finalised Topic paper and  the results of the consultation can be seen under the Topic Paper banner.

This questionnaire focuses on questions associated with the Town Centres and Retail Topic Paper.

Retail and Town Centres in Aberdeenshire are crucial for guiding the development and sustainability of the region. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out policies to encourage development in town centres, promoting a "town centres first" approach to adapt to economic trends and enhance town centre living. This framework supports sustainable, accessible retail development and aims to foster vibrant, economically resilient communities.

Local Development Plans are required to support sustainable futures for town and local centres, reflecting the principles of local living. They must identify a network of such areas and assess whether these areas reflect that vision.

This topic paper presents an analysis of the Aberdeenshire's town centres and retail provision. It includes the identification of datasets, an assessment of the network of centres and their character, and the impacts of non-retail clustering. It also evaluates whether other uses are eroding the primary functions of our town centres l and considers where the data suggests that additional retail allocations, or other actions to support town centres may be required. Thse actions will be developed through the "call for ideas" stage of the plan -making process.

It is likely that this paper will be of particular interest those in the community who make use of our town centres, and the businesses that provide services from these areas. 

If there are matters that you do not agree with relating to the information that we have looked at, then these are termed as "disputes". While most disputes made will be resolvable by modification of the topic paper, some will persist. If you make a dispute to this paper, and we cannot agree a solution then the dispute will be referred to a Reporter in the Scottish Government Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals in the Spring of 2025. Otherwise comments that you may make to this paper will be analysed and where possible resolution sought before consideration by Aberdeenshire Council, probably in January 2025.

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WHILE WE DO NOT INTEND TO PUBLISH THE INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS MADE, THEY WILL BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. ALL UNRESOLVED DISPUTES WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE INTERNET AS PART OF THE GATECHECK EXAMINATION.