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Local Planning Forum

Planning Services

Development Planning

Planning Forum

A Development Planning Forum has been created to engage with the local community on policy development and consider the function of the Planning Service. The Forum is intended to make a significant contribution towards modernisation and improvement of the Planning services in South Ayrshire.

Applications to join the Forum are still being accepted (Join the Planning Forum). At present the Forum comprises approximately one hundred members who are drawn from the local community and represent a cross-section of interests, including local civic, environmental and commercial interest groups; and professional bodies who engage with the Planning service and the public at large.

The Forum, administered by Officers from the Council's Planning Service, aims to meet around three times per year with twenty to thirty members of the Forum being invited to each meeting. The Forum will assist the community in influencing policy development with a particular focus on the Local Development Plan. The Forum will also consider the quality of service provided by the Planning section and where this can be improved to help customers.

Early and full community engagement is recognised to be a key part of modernising the planning system and the Council feels that benefits from having a Planning Forum include:

  • Improving the quality of the Planning service through exchanging views and innovative suggestions. If members of the Forum see changes resulting from their participation this will help further engagement with the Service.
  • Raising awareness of the issues that different groups face and coming to a better understanding of other perspectives.
  • By making planning more transparent the public will be aware of what the service is trying to achieve, how they can contribute to the service and the factors involved in the decision making. This should help foster trust in the planning system generally.
  • Sharing updates and best practice.
  • Providing a forum for members of the public to express their views on draft policies and guidance.
  • Highlighting areas where the Planning service can improve and offer feedback on improvement initiatives.
  • Assisting with understanding the trade-offs and balances required in making planning policy, thereby developing realistic expectations of what can be achieved.

After the Forum has operated for one year, a review on the working arrangements will be undertaken by the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Development and Environment. A report will be submitted to the Council that will include the conclusions and recommendations of that review.

Details, including agendas, presentations and outcome reports, as well as any other relevant information, will be displayed on this website, and can be accessed by clicking on the relevant Forum date, as below.

No response is given to page feedback. To protect your privacy, do not include contact information in your page feedback. Contact Customer Services directly for general enquiries.

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