ANGUS LOCAL PLAN REVIEW FINALISED PLAN - Angus Council

ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES3.1 The environmental assets and resources of Angus have longbeen recognised as important in both local and national terms. Thearea is essentially rural in nature with an interdependent network ofseven towns and numerous villages.3.2 The diverse landscape ranges from sandy beaches and cliffsalong the 55km coastline, the attractive and productive Strathmorevalley with its market towns, to the remote splendour of the uplandareas of the Glens.3.3 Angus has a rich and varied biodiversity that is reflected in thebroad range of sites designated for their natural heritage value andwhen combined with the areas distinctive built heritage and importanthistoric environment provide a high quality environment, attractive toboth residents and visitors.3.4 Protecting and enhancing the environmental assets and built andhistoric heritage of Angus is central to the Council’s approach to thesustainable development and the use of the areas finite and nonrenewableresources which can help to enhance the health andquality of life for both present and future generations of people livingand working in Angus.3.5 The capacity of the natural and built environment of Angus toaccept development and absorb change varies from area to areadepending on local characteristics. The Local Plan complements theaims set out in the Dundee and Angus Structure Plan for thesustainable management of the areas environmental resources bygiving priority to:• protecting and enhancing wildlife habitats identified as being ofinternational, national or local importance;• protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of Angus;• conserving and enhancing important landscapes and landscapefeatures and ensuring that new development is sympathetic tolandscape character;• protecting and enhancing the quality of the built and historicenvironment and ensuring that development proposals respectlocal characteristics;• promoting the sustainable use of water resources and ensuringthat new development does not exacerbate any flood risk;• promoting the integrated management of the coastal area andminimising unnecessary coastal development;• guiding proposals for renewable energy;• safeguarding good quality agricultural land from inappropriate andirreversible development;• providing a framework for the selection of sites for mineralextraction, landfill and land raise developments to minimiseenvironmental damage to landscape, heritage and environmentalassets.The Dundee and AngusStructure Plan aims for thesustainable management of theareas environmental resourcesare to :• protect and enhance thenatural environment inAngus in ways whichrespect landscapecharacter, promotebiodiversityconservation,and enable public enjoymentand understanding;• conserve the heritage valueof the built and historicenvironment and enhanceenvironmental quality in andaround the main settlementsof the area;• encourage the sustainableuse of the area’s naturalresources and provide aframework for managing theimpact of development thatsupports the economicviability of rural areas; and• provide a framework forrenewableenergydevelopment and wastemanagement.Angus Local Plan Review56Finalised Plan