Development Plans

Development plans guide where building can take place and what should be protected. If you are applying for planning permission, buying land or are interested in your local area, these plans set the rules we use to make decisions. This page explains what the current Development Plan is, what is changing, and how you can get involved.

What makes up the development plan

The Development Plan for South Lanarkshire includes:

• National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)
  This sets national planning policy across Scotland. It guides how land should be used and helps us decide planning applications.
• Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2)
  This is our current local plan, adopted in April 2021. It identifies where development should happen and includes policies on housing, town centres, climate change, transport and the countryside.

We also use supporting planning guidance to explain how these policies apply in practice, such as developer contributions and renewable energy.

What is happening next

We are preparing a new plan, Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3). This will replace LDP2 and update how land is used across South Lanarkshire.

You can follow progress and take part in consultation through our LDP3 webpage.

Have your say through Local Place Plans

Communities can help shape the new plan by preparing a Local Place Plan (LPP). These are community-led documents that set out ideas for local development.

When you submit, and we register an LPP, we must take it into account when preparing LDP3.

Other planning information

You can also view:

• the Development Plan Scheme, which sets out timescales and how we will consult
• land audits for housing and vacant and derelict sites
• flood risk maps
• the Play Sufficiency Assessment and Open Space Strategy (under preparation)
• our position on Masterplan Consent Areas

Find out more

• view LDP2 documents
• follow progress on LDP3
• learn how to prepare a Local Place Plan
• access supporting planning guidance and related documents