Dundee Local Development Plan Review

Introduction

Dundee City Council is preparing a new Local Development Plan (LDP) to guide the future development of the city. The LDP will set out a vision and strategy for growth, identify where development should take place, and include policies to guide planning decisions.

The submitted Evidence Report is currently being assessed by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) as part of the Gate Check process. Information on the plan-making process, supporting evidence, engagement undertaken and future stages can be found below. Details of the programme, key milestones and anticipated timescales for preparing the Local Development Plan are set out in the Development Plan Scheme.

Background

The Local Development Plan (LDP) is the Council's principal land use planning document. It guides the future development and use of land across Dundee and informs decisions on planning applications.

The preparation of the LDP is governed by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 and associated regulations. The Act sets out requirements and timescales for the delivery of an LDP, and this is supported by The Town & Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2023. Dundee City Council is committed to involving communities, stakeholders and key agencies throughout the plan-making process.

View the Development Plan Scheme.

Current Position

The Evidence Report was approved by the City Growth and Infrastructure Committee on 17th November 2025 and submitted to the DPEA on 9th December 2025.

Following its withdrawal in January 2026 to allow consideration of updated national guidance, the Report was revised and resubmitted on 1st September 2026. The Evidence Report has now been allocated to a Reporter for assessment.

The next stage in the process will be the preparation of the Proposed Plan.

Evidence Report

The Evidence Report sets out the planning authority’s interpretation of the evidence gathered and explains its likely implications for preparing the Local Development Plan (LDP).

Communities and key stakeholders were consulted on a series of topic papers between April and October 2024. The feedback received helped shape the content of the Evidence Report.

To view the submitted Gate Check Evidence Report and supporting documents on the DPEA website, click here.

Place-Based Evidence and Engagement

To inform the Evidence Report, the Council carried out a comprehensive programme of engagement with communities, key agencies, developers, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders. This included Place Standard and Play Sufficiency Assessment surveys, thematic workshops and engagement with children and young people.

Communities were also invited to prepare Local Place Plans. These plans, alongside survey findings and engagement feedback, informed the Evidence Report and will help shape the Proposed Plan.

Dundee Place Standard Survey

To support preparation of the Evidence Report, the Planning Team developed an online GIS version of the Place Standard Tool, enabling residents, community groups, businesses, and other stakeholders to assess quality of their neighbourhoods and identify local priorities. The survey was open between April and August 2024 and received 216 responses.

Responses have been analysed and summarised into key qualitative and quantitative findings. The quantitative results are presented through an online GIS dashboard, while the qualitative findings are presented through Place Reports and GIS StoryMaps for Dundee’s eight Wards.

Dundee Place Standard Results 2024

Dundee Place Reports

Play Sufficiency Assessment

The Play Sufficiency Assessment evaluates the sufficiency of play opportunities for children and young people in Dundee. The assessment provides evidence to support preparation of the next LDP and forms part of the submitted Evidence Report. It capturesthe views of children, young people and communities on where they like to play and spend time, how often they use these spaces, and their quality.

Play Sufficiency Assessment (PDF)

Proposed Plan

The Proposed Plan will be informed by the submitted Evidence Report and will identify where new development should take place and where it should not. It will contain a spatial strategy, showing how land will be used and developed over the plan period. It will also contain policies and proposals to guide decisions on planning applications.

As part of preparing the next Local Development Plan (LDP), the Council invited input from stakeholders through two complementary engagement processes:

Call for Sites

Landowners, developers and the development industry to submit sites they would like considered for inclusion in the Proposed Plan. These submissions helped identify potential locations for future development.

Call for Ideas

Communities, organisations, and stakeholders were invited to share their ideas relating to land use, policy priorities or placemaking principles.

Consultation Video

The video below was produced to support the Call for Sites and Call for Ideas consultations and provides an overview of the Local Development Plan process.

Dundee Local Development Plan Public Consultation | Dundee City Council

Consultation Outcomes

Both consultations provided an opportunity to influence the vision and strategy for Dundee’s future development. The consultation period closed on 31 March 2026. Submissions received will help inform preparation of the Proposed Plan.

Stay Updated

To receive updates on the Local Development Plan, join the Council's mailing list by emailing localdevplan@dundeecity.gov.uk.

Your details will be used for occasional communications relating to consultations and other Local Development Plan activities. You can unsubscribe at any time.

General information and supporting documents are available through the Local Development Plan webpages. Updates will also be communicated through social media and, where required, statutory public notices.