MEMBERS of Fife Council’s Planning Committee heard today (27^th Apr) about the success of the recent Lochgelly Charrette and progress on how future proposals may be taken forward.

The Lochgelly Charrette which ran between 8^th and 13^th March was the second of three Charrettes in the Scotland Charrette series and the first to be led by a local authority.  A report is due mid-May from Turnberry Consulting and is expected to contain specific proposals for Lochgelly and general recommendations relating to national planning, design and engagement policies based on their experience of the Scotland Charrette.  Fife Council’s conclusions on the process and outcomes will then be developed and a report is expected to the Planning Committee in June.

Dave Thompson, Lead Officer (Urban Design and Masterplanning) for Fife Council, said: “The Charrette had been without doubt a considerable success for Lochgelly and had challenged the policies and planning process in Scotland.  We are now in a unique position to work with the Scottish Government to develop and implement potential new ways of delivering the place making agenda.  This is exciting for us to play a leading role in creating new policies and working practices that create places where people want to be.”

He added: “The success of the Charrette is very much down to the involvement of the local community, and in particular the local schools and youth groups and we are very thankful to everyone who participated.”

Internationally acclaimed designer Andres Duany, who led the week-long Charrette in March, said this had been one of his most complex projects to date.  His ambitious proposals focused on how Lochgelly might look in 15-25 years time with a new town centre supermarket, a redeveloped railway station, world class golf course and reinvigorated high street.

In advance of the consultant’s report, expected mid-May, Fife Council has been progressing the following:

• Ensuring the Lochgelly Charrette report is incorporated in the emerging Mid Fife Local Plan preparation process
• A review of all design-based policies
• Considering a simplified planning zone or incentive based mechanism to achieve good design
• Assessing the impact of best practices from the Charrette and what this means for the next generation of Development Plans
• Working with Transportation Services to see how proposals relating to streets can be taken forward to reflect the Scottish Government policy statement ‘Designing for Streets’
• Reviewing emerging Supplementary Planning Guidance aimed at securing better quality developments
• Reviewing the Main Street traffic regulation order
• Considering setting up a local implementation group for Lochgelly

For further information, visit www.scotlandcharrettelochgelly.co.uk