Recent figures showing growth in the economy at large are encouraging landowners to once again explore development opportunities.
Many have fully fledged business ideas and development proposals which have been fleshed out over a long period of time, but were simply parked throughout the recession.
Thus, we are seeing some viable ideas being brought forward.
In addition to ideas generated by landowners themselves, we are also seeing house builders and developers once again looking for new sites, particularly in the central belt, but renewed interest in development land within Tayside is now anticipated.
Both green-field sites and properties within towns and villages, so called brown-field sites, may now become viable for development or indeed re-development.
With the economic brakes now off, the next hurdle for most projects is planning consent.
Like many other local authorities across Scotland, Angus Council is preparing a new Local Development Plan (LDP).
This is in response to the Strategic Development Plan TAYPlan which was adopted in June 2012.
Dundee at the core of the city region adopted its own LDP in December last year and the Perth and Kinross LDP was adopted in February.
The new Angus LDP will be a significant document for landowners, property developers and communities as it sets out in detail a vision for development over the next 10 years, which in turn will influence specific land uses in our towns and villages.
The policies set out within the LDP will affect anyone with an interest in owning or developing land and property and will be the core reference for planning applications submitted through the development management process.
Angus Council has been working on this plan since 2010.
In the early stages, background work was completed and awareness was raised within the community and with stakeholders.
Progressing on from this, between November 2012 and March last year Angus Council produced a Main Issues Report (MIR).
An Environmental Report and Monitoring Statement accompanied the report which covers a range of topics including housing, business, retail development, transport, environment, open space.
The MIR was an important initial stage in the preparation of the LDP as it identified preferred policies and proposals in response to development pressures and local requirements for housing economic development business and community facilities.
The LDP MIR can be found on Angus Council’s website within the planning section.
The MIR could be a useful guide for landowners and developers wishing to ensure their proposed developments “tick the boxes” in terms of meeting the needs of the local area.
I would encourage landowners in Angus to engage with Angus Council in order to participate in the formulation of the new LDP.
There will be a nine-week representation period in October and November.
The council aims to have published a draft LDP in time for the representation period, meaning landowners, developers and other interested parties will have a chance to comment on the draft, particularly in relation to any development proposals which they may be looking to bring forward.
In terms of the next stages, following a period of representations and an action plan, a final examination and the addition of any amendments should lead on to the final publication and adaptation of the Angus LDP in April/May 2016.
Property development of any sort, from the construction of agricultural or forestry buildings, which may in most cases be carried out under Permitted Development Rights, to developments requiring planning permission to larger developments, can be a complex issue.
* Rhona Booth is a chartered surveyor and heads up the Forfar office of Davidson & Robertson Rural, specialising in all aspects of farm and land management.