Luss Estates and Community collaborate on Land Use & Development Plan

Working with the local community, Luss Estates launched an ambitious project to explore how the estate can help to sustain and grow rural community life across Luss Estates and associated areas within the National Park – specifically within the communities of Luss & Arden, and Arrochar, Tarbet, & Ardlui – all in the context of a global climate and biodiversity crisis.

In doing so, the Estate, by definition, will be more resilient, and as a result be able to continue to support local communities in the area, in line with Scottish Government Planning Policy and the Scottish Land Commission’s requirements for large land holdings.

The Plan will be a roadmap guiding the Estate’s land use and direction, and is designed to be a tool for constructive dialogue with the National Park during the preparation of their next Local Development Plan. This plan is not a planning application, and any proposals that may come forward as a result of this process will be subject to the usual authorities’ processes.

In preparation of this plan, and in partnership with Luss & Arden, and Arrochar, Tarbet, & Ardlui Community Councils, Luss Estates Company has consulted throughout 2022 with the communities, businesses, and stakeholders of West Loch Lomondside. The views and feedback received have steered the direction of the plan’s contents, and given us a valuable insight into the aspirations of, and issues faced by, both communities.

As background…in 2012, Luss Estates Company engaged a team of professional consultants to produce a Strategic Development Framework for the Estate. Ten years on, changes both within the communities, and in local and national planning context, make this the right time for Luss Estates Company to prepare a new ten year plan.

Some of these planning changes include:

National Planning Framework 4

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was adopted in Feb 2023. Decisions on planning in West Loch Lomondside will be made in accordance with NPF4 and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park’s current Local Development Plan 2017-2021, with NPF4 taking precedence in instances where the two are not aligned on policy. The policies within NPF4 usher in significant change in the way things like biodiversity, community wealth building, and tourism, are considered at a planning level.

The National Park Partnership Plan 2024-29

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park are consulting between April and July 2023 on their draft Partnership Plan for the period 2024-29. The plan guides how the Park, stakeholders, and partners, can work collaboratively towards a shared vision. Though the plan will be in place for a 5 year period, it sets out a long term vision, with climate and nature targets, for 2045.

The new Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Local Development Plan 

A Development Plan Scheme (DPS) prepared by Loch Lomond and the the Trossachs National Park sets out the programme for preparing and reviewing the Local Development Plan (LDP). The DPS indicates the National Park will commence preparation of the next plan, which will be a 10 year plan (2024-2034), in 2023. By publishing our Estate Plan now, we want to positively influence the development of the new LDP for the communities and businesses of West Loch Lomondside.

Local Place Plans

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. As the largest landowner in the area, Luss Estates Company has provided financial and logistical support to the two communities to enable them to prepare Local Place Plans. As of April 2023, plans have been published by both communities and submitted to the National Park, to be taken into consideration in preparation of the next LDP.

Our Landowner Responsibilities

In the development of this Land Use & Development Plan, Luss Estates Company has taken cognisence of the responsibilites set out on the owners and operators of large land holdings, by two principal sources of guidance: The Scottish Government’s Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement, and The Scottish Land Commission’s Protocols. Together these pieces of guidance present a comprehensive picture of the expectations placed on all landowners by the Scottish Government and Scottish Land Commission, and offer practical advice on how land owners, land managers and communities can work together to make better and fairer decisions about land use.

Further news stories will continue to cover this process.