Local development plan

Adopted Local Development Plan 2

The Scottish Borders Local Development Plan (LDP2) was adopted on 22 August 2024. The adopted Plan takes on board the contents of the Direction issued by the Scottish Government on 20 March 2024. 

The adopted Plan can be viewed below:

The Local Development Plan (LDP) sets out land use proposals and planning policies intended to guide development and inform planning decisions within the Scottish Borders. The LDP comprises the policies in Volume one and settlement profiles in Volume two.

Please note that this updated version of Volume 1 was uploaded to this webpage on 1 October 2024 and supersedes the version which was available before this date. This was updated because of a typographical error within Policy ED11: Safeguarding of Mineral Deposits which has now been corrected.

Examination Process

The representation period in relation to the Proposed Local Development Plan closed on 25 January 2021. Following the public consultation, we agreed to take all representations forward to formal Examination. The Plan was submitted for Examination on 14 July 2022 and reviewed all unresolved representations made on the Scottish Borders Proposed LDP.

The representations received to the Proposed Local Development Plan consultation have been published. It should be noted that these have been redacted to remove some personal details and/or sensitive information.

The Examination started formally on 26 September 2022. During the period of the Examination, the Reporter issued 23 further information requests and held a one day hearing on the issue of housing. The Report of Examination was published by the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) on 5 July 2023 and recommended modifications to the Proposed plan; the Report of Examination and summary table are available to view, see below.

A report, which presented the modifications arising from the Report of Examination, was agreed at Council on 28 September 2023. Therefore, we agreed to take forward the Plan, as modified, to formal adoption. Some background documents were also updated and can be viewed from the links below.

Intention to Adopt 

The Proposed LDP, as modified following Examination, was submitted to Scottish Ministers on 13 December 2023. Scottish Borders Council received a Direction letter on the 5 March 2024, followed by an updated Direction letter on the 20 March 2024, requiring the Council to make some minor changes to the Plan in order to:

  • Ensure the LDP takes account of the adoption of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and that this replaces National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy.
  • Ensure the LDP takes account of the strategic development plan (SESplan (2013) no longer being part of the development plan.

The Proposed Local Development Plan has been updated in accordance with all of the modifications set out within the Direction letter dated 20 March 2024. 

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Strategic Environmental Assessment

A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been prepared which identifies and evaluates any likely significant effects on the environment and any necessary mitigation measures.

More information

Development Plan Scheme

Planning Policy and GIS

Previously known as Forward Planning

Address: Council Headquarters
Newtown St. Boswells
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Telephone: 0300 100 1800