Aberdeenshire Land Use Strategy Pilot James Davidson, Aberdeenshire Council NESAAG, Woodhill House, 05/11/14

Two Land Use Strategy Pilots: Shared aim: …to develop a framework which fosters an integrated approach to land use. Shared requirements e.g.: - 3 stages - ecosystems approach - work with partners - consultation - min.10 year lifespan

Aberdeenshire Land Use Strategy Pilot Being delivered in partnership by Aberdeenshire Council and James Hutton Institute Project Board comprising key stakeholders Operating at two scales: regional and local

Local Focus Areas Upper Dee and Huntly area – invited local stakeholders Three step process looking at: 1.What the environment delivers 2.What influences decision making 3.How might the future look

Stage 1 – Baseline Mapping To set an information baseline for the Pilot Natural asset and policy information gathered as per Pilot spec Attempt to cover ‘ecosystem services’ ~ 50 layers of GIS based information

Stage 2 – Constraints/Opportunities Exploration of constraints on and opportunities of land use change Use of questions based approach Key government objectives related to land use

Stage 2 – Question based approach 1.Low carbon economy…………….woodland expansion/renewables 2.Sustainable food production……..prime land 3.Sustainable water management…drinking water 4.Halting biodiversity loss…………..habitat connectivity 5.Communities connected to land…recreation opportunities

Stage 2 example: prime land Climate change could increase prime agricultural land in Aberdeenshire What are the implications of all prime land becoming arable?

Stage 3 – produce Pilot outputs 1.Spatially based aid to land use change decision making – web based, interactive 2.Overview report of land use key issues and opportunities Main users: existing public bodies influencing decisions around land use change Pilot = process demonstration!

Web-based, interactive tool

Overview Report Summary of land use change issues and opportunities drawing on work of the Pilot Presents a series of suggested actions regionally and nationally to aid with achieving LUS aims Draft report consulted on in Autumn 2014 Opens discussion of Pilot legacy

What Next? Workshops for interactive tool - autumn 2014 Stakeholder feedback on draft overview report – autumn 2014 Final workshops with JHI in Local Focus Areas Finalise tool & overview report – New Year 2015 Delivery of findings to feed into review of Land Use Strategy - March 2015