Foreword and Introduction

Welcome to 12th annual Planning Performance Framework which outlines our performance and showcases through case studies our achievements and the quality of services we delivered in the 2022-23 reporting year. Last year we presented the Planning Performance Framework in a story map which was well received and we have adopted a similar format this year.

Progress on our key regeneration sites continues at a pace. At a Council meeting on 21 June, Councillors approved the full business case for the Council's Exxon Site Project. This cross-service project has already led to the de-contamination of the former Exxon site being progressed to allow the construction of industrial units and a spine road which will also serve as a much needed relief road for the A82. The project has a truly transformational potential for the area and will give West Dunbartonshire an ability to attract far larger investment than currently, given the current availability of prime industrial development sites. A case study is provided later in the PPF. The ambitious plans for Dumbarton Town Centre took another step forward with planning permission granted for a library and museum in Glencairn House - the oldest building in Dumbarton High Street. Cross-service working continues with the redevelopment proposals for the Artisan Centre progressing to create a more residential focused town centre.

The affordable housing programme continues to provide quality homes with 146 new flatted units located on an enviable position overlooking the River Clyde on the Queens Quay site being occupied in 2022-23. These sit alongside the health and care centre and care home and are connected to the district heating centre. The development was awarded Silver at the Scottish Design Awards for Regeneration 2023 and is an example of quality placemaking.

Phase one of the Antonine Wall Project was completed at the end of March 2023 was shortlisted for RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence 2023. This collaborative project has transformed the prominence and status of the Antonine Wall making heritage regeneration more accessible to groups which would not otherwise engage.

This year the Council has faced £21 million budget gap, which represents a financial challenge of a magnitude the Council has never faced before. This has involved services working up savings options and/ or looking at ways to bring additional income, such as charging for pre application advice. This is together with the national challenge of recruiting experienced planning staff especially to deal with the large regeneration developments and applications. This has involved looking at how we can deliver the service differently and using the skills of existing staff and maximising more cross service working. It has also involved more joint working with the universities with an undergraduate Planning student undertaking work experience with the Council and organising a Development Management workshop with Glasgow University MSc students.

As reported last year, planning staff returned to the office with many working a hybrid model. This year James Hall and Seb Hudson left the Council to take up promoted posts in South Ayrshire Council and Glasgow City Region respectively. Both were integral members of the planning team and we will miss James knowledge and expertise on heritage matters and fantastic photos. Seb was a key member in producing the PPF and assisting other services of the Council with GIS, and we also will miss his extensive knowledge and expertise on GIS. From the Antonine Wall Project, Anne Timmons left the team and we thank her for her work with schools and developing educational resources. This year we welcomed Cameron Clow and Sophie Clifford who have already become important members of the team.

A proud monument was when two of the Service's Team Leaders were shortlisted in the Council's Employee Recognition Awards 2022- Irene McKechnie and John Stevenson. Both are excellent employees and are a significant support to myself and other members of the Team. It was good that John was awarded Team Leader of the Year 2023.

This year also saw the completion of the PhD research undertaken by Rob Richardson on Creating well designed place - what does it take? This research was based around the strategic investment made by the Council in 2018 for a Place and Design Officer and Place and Design Panel. The research report has important messages about the importance of placemaking investment to planning authorities, councils, the Scottish Government, education authorities and the planning profession. The recommendations of the research and conclusions are provided within the placemaking case study in the PPF.

On a more personal note, I am thoroughly enjoying being Senior Vice-Convenor of RTPI and Senior Vice Convenor of Heads of Planning (Scotland). It is good to be involved in conversations and able to influence planning at a national level at this important time. I am looking forward to be RTPI Convenor in 2024 and Convenor of Heads of Planning (Scotland) in 2024-25 and what it will bring.

Please enjoy reading about the great work taking place in West Dunbartonshire and please feel free to offer feedback and comments.

Pamela Clifford

Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager

July 2023

 Pamela.clifford@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 

West Dunbartonshire Council covers an area of around 98 square miles and serves a population of approximately 88,000, within a mixed urban and rural area in the west of Scotland. Forming part of the Glasgow city-region and sitting along the River Clyde, the planning authority area include the main urban areas of Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven, and features such as the Kilpatrick Hills, Forth and Clyde Canal and Antonine Wall. The planning authority area excludes those parts of West Dunbartonshire within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (parts of Balloch and the countryside to the east and west of Loch Lomond). The National Park Authority produces its own Planning Performance Framework.

The Strategic Plan 2022-2027 sets the following vision and strategic priorities for the West Dunbartonshire Council area.

“Delivering services which build on the strengths and resilience of our neighbourhoods and supporting all residents to fulfil their individual potential, and that of their communities”

• Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving    
• Our Environment – A Greener Future
• Our Economy – Strong and Flourishing
• Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable

The Planning Service has an important role in delivering the Council’s vision and strategic priorities.

The Planning Performance Framework (PPF) is the Council’s annual report on the delivery of its planning service. The PPF was developed by the Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) and the Scottish Government to provide a document with a range of qualitative and quantitative indicators to document planning service activities.

The Qualitative Narrative section of the PPF tells the story of the Council’s Planning Service over the past year through a series of case studies documenting development and other activities.

The Supporting Evidence section sets out the information the Council has drawn on when compiling the PPF.

The Service Improvements section assesses progress on service improvements set out in the 2021 PPF and sets the service improvements for the year ahead.

The National Headline Indicators section records a range of planning statistics relating to land use and development management and enforcement performance.

Scottish Government Official Statistics also set performance data relating to decision making timescales, local reviews and appeals.

The Workforce Management section include a staff structure diagram and provides information on the age profile of staff and the number of staff who are members of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

The Planning Committee Information section records how many committee meetings and planning site visits were held in the reporting year.

The Performance Markers section sets out the criteria the Scottish Government use to consider the performance of planning authorities and includes the Council’s evidence, or signposts to the evidence, for assessment against these markers.