Planning guidance

The guidance on this page is divided into:

• statutory guidance documents that form part of the current Stirling Local Development Plan
• non-statutory guidance documents that do not form part of the current Stirling Local Development Plan

In all cases, the guidance on this page can have 'material weight' in a planning application. This means, if you submit an application for development, we'll use whichever guidance is relevant to:

• assess whether the proposals comply with the guidance
• decide whether it should be approved

Stirling Local Development Plan guidance

We're currently reviewing the guidance that supports the Stirling Local Development Plan following the adoption of National Planning Framework on 13 February 2023 as part of the statutory Development Plan. Statutory guidance

This statutory guidance is part of the current Stirling Local Development Plan. It covers:

• how we’ll implement the policies outlined in the plan
• specific details that you might need to know if you’re planning a development, such as points about layout, design and location

General guidance

• Supplementary guidance on advertisements (November 2021)
• Supplementary guidance on small settlements (November 2021)
• Supplementary guidance on transport and access for new development (November 2021)
• Supplementary guidance on housing in the countryside and design guide (May 2020)
• Supplementary guidance on flood risk management and the water environment (May 2020)
• Supplementary guidance on chalets and huts (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on forestry and woodland strategy (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on wind energy developments (February 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on housing in multiple occupation (December 2018)

Guidance about the historic environment

• Supplementary guidance on battlefields (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on boundaries and hardstandings (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on energy efficiency and micro-renewables (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on historic building recording (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on roofing (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on shopfronts (May 2019)
• Supplementary guidance on windows and doors (May 2019)

Draft supplementary guidance

Stirling Council’s Environment and Housing Committee has approved this supplementary guidance. However, as we have not yet adopted it, it is non-statutory guidance at the moment.

• Draft supplementary guidance on biodiversity and landscape (November 2019)
• Draft supplementary guidance on landscape character assessments (November 2019)
  
  

Non-statutory guidance

This non-statutory guidance that is not part of the current Stirling Local Development Plan.

• Developer Contributions Planning Guidance, February 2023
• Developer Contributions Background Report, February 2023
• Planning guidance on the Blairhoyle small settlement proposal (May 2015)
• Planning guidance on placemaking (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on the Green Network (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on green belts (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on new uses for redundant rural buildings (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on residential alterations and extensions (October 2015)
• Planning guidance on low and zero carbon buildings (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on landscape and planting requirements in new developments (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on trees and new development (October 2014)
• Planning guidance on trees and the law (October 2014)

Under the Stirling Local Development Plan, the council area has 28 conservation areas. Each of these areas has a specific map, which you can access below.

In 2014 and 2015, to help with management and planning within these areas, we produced detailed character appraisals. Since then, these appraisals have helped to inform our development frameworks, masterplans and planning briefs. However, they are non-statutory guidance.

Ashfield Conservation Area character appraisal

Balfron Conservation Area character appraisal

Bannockburn Conservation Area character appraisal

Blairlogie Conservation Area character appraisal

Bridge of Allan Conservation Area character appraisal

Bridgehaugh Conservation Area character appraisal

Bruce Street Conservation Area character appraisal

Buchlyvie Conservation Area character appraisal

Cambusbarron Conservation Area character appraisal

Cambuskenneth Conservation Area character appraisal

Carbeth Conservation Area character appraisal

Deanston Conservation Area character appraisal

Doune Conservation Area character appraisal

Drip Bridge Conservation Area character appraisal

Dunblane Conservation Area character appraisal

Fintry Conservation Area character appraisal

Gargunnock Conservation Area character appraisal

Killearn Conservation Area character appraisal

King's Park Conservation Area character appraisal

Kippen Conservation Area character appraisal

Park Place Conservation Area character appraisal

Randolph Road Conservation Area character appraisal

St Ninian's Conservation Area character appraisal

Stirling Town and Royal Park Conservation Area character appraisal

Thornhill Conservation Area character appraisal

Torbrex Conservation Area character appraisal

We produced these masterplans as part of the previous Stirling Local Development Plan or to support specific developments in the council area. They are non-statutory guidance.

South Stirling Gateway Masterplan, part 1

South Stirling Gateway Masterplan, part 2

Durieshill Masterplan

Forthside Masterplan, part 1

Forthside Masterplan, part 2

Viewforth Masterplan

We produced these frameworks as part of the previous Stirling Local Development Plan or to support specific developments in the council area. They are non-statutory guidance.

Burghmuir Development Framework

City Centre Development Framework

Cornton Development Framework, part 1

Cornton Development Framework, part 2

Cornton Development Framework, part 3

Cultenhove Development Framework, part 1

Cultenhove Development Framework, part 2

Kildean Development Framework

We produced these briefs as part of the previous Stirling Local Development Plan or to support specific developments in the council area. They are non-statutory guidance.

Argyll Centre planning brief

Rainbow Slides planning brief

Randolph Road planning brief

Stirling Ice Rink planning brief

We produced this guide in 2005 to inform development activities in the Raploch area of Stirling. It is non-statutory guidance.

Raploch design guide, part 1

Raploch design guide, part 2

Raploch design guide, part 3

Raploch design guide, part 4

Raploch design guide, part 5

Raploch design guide, part 6