Development Plans

Masterplan Consent Areas (MCAs) were introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 as a new, proactive way for planning authorities to guide and consent development. MCAs allow councils to lead the preparation of a consenting masterplan for specific areas, shaping the type and quality of development in line with local needs and placemaking priorities, rather than relying on developer-led planning applications.

An MCA scheme can grant multiple consents in advance, including planning permission, roads construction consent, listed building consent and conservation area consent. Once an area is designated, development that complies with the agreed scheme can proceed without a full planning application.

The council has not yet identified potential MCA locations. This will be considered once the full legal framework is operational, likely as part of preparing Local Development Plan 3.

This position statement fulfils the council’s legal requirement to periodically consider whether it would be desirable to introduce MCA schemes under Schedule 5A Paragraph 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act as amended.