Judges at Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning Commend Gillespies' Masterplan Development Frameworks

The Masterplan Development Frameworks (MDF’s) for South Lanarkshire have received a Commendation at the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning.

These development frameworks have been designed as part of a long-term commission to provide South Lanarkshire Council with urban design, masterplanning, landscape services and professional inquiry advice. The MDF’s focus on the Community Growth Areas identified in the finalised South Lanarkshire Local Plan as a way to deliver national guidance/policy at the local level.

The judges said: "This initiative is acknowledged as excellent practice which may wish to be adopted by other planning authorities. We recognise and commend the management skills required to lead a multi-disciplinary team in developing the MDF’s and it is pleasing to hear that the tool has been successful in bridging the gap between the local plan and the detailed masterplan."

Partner of Gillespies, Brian Evans, said: "South Lanarkshire Council are to be commended for creating the MDF’s as a bridge between the local plan and the masterplan. The MDF’s establish urban design and landscape design principles that are adopted by the planning authority and the developer. This helps to bring certainty, clarity and efficiency to the process and to embed place making at the heart of planning."