Rural Development Outcome RD4:
The Park’s communities are supported to influence and deliver actions that improve their quality of life and place.
Why is this outcome important?
Our communities are the heart of our National Park. Having active, informed and inclusive communities with the ability to engage in community planning and the planning processes, is vital to achieving improved quality of life and place. Engaging actively with planning will help our communities to benefit from the new powers contained in the Community Empowerment and Land Reform legislation, as well as the proposed changes to the Scottish Planning System. These changes aim to give people a stronger say and role in planning their own community and potentially include the ability for communities to prepare their own ‘Place Plans’.
Communities within the National Park already undertake their own local action planning work and lead on project delivery. So they are very well placed to benefit from these emerging new rights with some of the new opportunities, including community ownership of buildings and land with potential for social enterprises and income generation.
This is not only good for communities, but also means that this activity can support the wider aims and outcomes of the National Park.
Sustrans Community Project
Community Planning Partnerships have been established for each of the four local authority areas that cover the National Park. These bring together the key public and third sector agencies in order to improve the way local services are provided within local communities and enable greater decision making at local level.
It is important to ensure that public services are designed to reflect the needs of the Park’s rural communities and that there is community representation when identifying priorities set out in the Local Outcome Improvement Plans and new Locality Improvement Plans. This brings new opportunities for our communities and having a strong third sector partner in the National Park Authority and the priorities set out below, should be reflected in these Plans.
Our priorities for action:
- Rural Development Priority 16: Maintaining good organisational capacity (governance, training, support, mentoring, volunteering and networking within and between communities) to enable communities to realise opportunities arising from land reform and community empowerment agendas, as well as potential changes that may arise from the review of the Scottish Planning System.
- Rural Development Priority 17: Establishing a co-ordinated approach to community planning – including Local Action Planning – and support to communities to be involved in decisions affecting local service delivery.
- Rural Development Priority 18: Supporting communities to develop and lead on project delivery, village enhancements and to own and manage assets (including income generation and social enterprise opportunities).
- Rural Development Priority 19: Supporting delivery of the Callander Landscape Partnership.
Callander Pass
Who can help make this happen?
| LEAD DELIVERY PARTNERS INCLUDE: |
| The Community Partnership in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Area |
| Community Planning Partnerships |
| Local Authorities |
| Community Development Trusts |
| Community Councils |
| SUPPORT DELIVERY PARTNERS: |
| Development Trust Association Scotland |
| Social Enterprise agencies |
| Third sector interfaces, support and funding agencies |
| Business Gateway |
How will we measure success by 2023?
- The number of active Community Development Trusts and Community Councils in the Park.
- The number of completed community-led projects.
- The number of community led social enterprise schemes and communities owning assets.
Case Study: The Callander Landscape Partnership
The Callander Landscape Partnership is a £1.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund Grant Award for a community led partnership project. It will use Callander’s unique position on the Highland Boundary Fault to establish the town as the ‘Outdoor Capital of the National Park’. This will include the creation of visitor interpretation, a cycling and walking network, and training opportunities in the surrounding countryside.
Funded by the National Park Authority and supported by The Community Partnership in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Area, communities within the Park continue to lead their own local community action planning in order to identify how to make their community more successful and sustainable.
Community Action Plans produced and owned by communities identify the physical, social and environmental actions needed to improve quality of life and create better places. These are used as a tool by communities to fundraise, lobby and secure funding for project activity.
Callander
Questions
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