GCV Green Network
Connecting Our Quality Spaces

The creation of high quality, fit for purpose public spaces should be a fundamental objective for everyone involved in planning for the future of the Glasgow Clyde Valley (GCV) region and more than an after-thought or a by-product of the development process

The GCV region’s planning authorities are committed to achieving the Green Network vision over the next 20 years. The Planning System is potentially a powerful way to deliver that commitment.

The Partnership recognises the need to support those who are engaged in the planning system to assist them to identify the needs of the Green Network and to take opportunities to deliver it.

The Planning (Scotland) Act 2006

The Planning (Scotland) Act 2006 represents the biggest change to Scottish planning law for a generation.  The Act requires:

• the National Planning Framework to identify National Developments (the GCV Green Network is identified as a major contributor to the creation of a Central Scotland Green Network -  a National Development).
• the GCV Strategic Development Planning Authority to produce a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) which should be updated at least every five years
• local planning authorities to produce Local Development Plans (LDP) at least once every five years and update every two years.

It is within this context the Partnership is seeking to produce guidance to support development of the region’s SDP and LDPs and consequently the delivery of the Green Network through the planning system.

In 2008 the Partnership commissioned consultants to draft GCV Green Network Planning Guidance. This work was completed in January 2009. The draft guidance is in two parts:

Part 1 outlines the Planning Guidance for the Region and provides background information on the GCV Green Network (Benefits, Policy Context etc), proposed Green Network planning principles, and proposes how the planning system might deliver the Green Network.

Part 2 provides a spatial framework for planning the Green Network in the form of a series of Green Network Zones defined at a strategic level to reflect common characteristics, function, form, greenspace provision and planning ‘status’.

For more detailed information download the draft GCV Green Network Planning Guidance (Part 1 and Part 2), click on the document links on the right.

The draft guidance was presented to the GCVSDPA’s Steering Group meeting in May 2009. That meeting agreed that discussions should be arranged with each of the GCVSDPA Steering Group members in order to make the guidance more useful to those working in the planning system and discuss the future direction of the planning guidance.

Current project work

The process of discussing the guidance with senior planning officers was very valuable and constructive comments were received in all discussions. There was strong consensus on what was valuable and less valuable in the draft documents and what is required to provide valuable guidance for those working in the planning system.

Part 1: This document will be developed to support the Strategic Development Plan (SDP) and provide guidance at the regional and strategic level. The document will be edited and include illustrations. A spatial analysis of existing GCV Green Network provision and the strategic priorities for delivery of the GCV Green Network in the coming years will be included.  This will support a spatial representation of the GCV Green Network within the SDP which identifies Green Network delivery priorities within the period of the SDP. The full strategic Green Network planning guidance will most likely become a technical report which supports the SDP.

Part 2: This document was considered to be largely of little value to those who work in Development Management and therefore a different approach should be taken. It is proposed that the Partnership should assist each local planning authority to develop any necessary local Green Network guidance to support the emerging LDPs.