Consultation launched on Development Plan Scheme 2026 participation statement
North-east residents, businesses and community groups are being encouraged to give their views on the Aberdeenshire Development Plan Scheme participation statement.
The document sets out the anticipated timetable for the production of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2029 and how people can get involved.
The Development Plan Scheme must contain a participation statement which sets out the plan for engagement, including when consultation is likely to take place, what form it will take and will how the public will be involved.
As the council is required to consider views on the participation statement, it has begun the process by publishing the draft Development Plan Scheme 2026 on its Engage Aberdeenshire LDP consultation hub.
A survey is provided to assist people in responding to the consultation which is available at: https://engage.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/development-plan-scheme-2026
The consultation runs until Friday, April 10 with the results being presented to the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee for consideration in May.
Produced annually, this year it builds on the Development Plan Scheme 2025 and tracks progress towards the production of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2029.
The main focus of this year’s programme is the conclusion of the ‘Call for Ideas’ consultation which closes on Monday, March 16 and subsequent analysis of comments received. The consultation, ongoing since July 2025, is the principal way in which the council will collect information from communities and stakeholders on the content of the next Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan.
Following on from the closure of the consultation every submission will be acknowledged. Officers will begin an extensive period of analysing ‘Call for Ideas’ comments received and assessing bids submitted by the development industry during the parallel Call for Sites consultation which closed in October 2025.
Officers will work to bring forward the ‘preferred options’ in preparing the Proposed Plan through the analysis of the submissions, and engagement with stakeholders, with a view to seeking approval of a Proposed Local Development Plan for public consultation in Winter 2027.
Cllr Alan Turner, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “Through the Development Plan Scheme 2026, we are reaffirming our commitment to the national standards for community engagement and ensuring that our approach to preparing the next Local Development Plan is open, transparent and inclusive. This scheme sets out clear opportunities for everyone with an interest in Aberdeenshire’s future to take part, share their views and influence the direction of the Plan.
“It is your Local Development Plan, and we want to understand what matters to you and what you want it to deliver for your community. Our officers have already been working closely with local groups and residents, supporting development bid submissions and encouraging wider involvement as we begin shaping the next Plan. I would urge people across the region to continue participating in our consultation activities and have your say on how Aberdeenshire should grow and develop in the years ahead.”