ANGUS LOCAL PLAN REVIEW FINALISED PLAN - Angus Council

Coastal Management3.58 The Angus coastline is one of the area’s most important assetsextending from Montrose in the north to Monifieth in the south. Thewider coastal area is home to around 50% of the Angus populationand is a significant communications corridor for road, rail and sea aswell as containing important employment centres at Arbroath andMontrose and contributing to the area’s tourism industry. The coastalarea also contains a number of sites protected for their natural andhistoric interest. In general there is a need to minimise unnecessarydevelopment on the coast whilst providing for development thatrequires a coastal location.3.59 In line with the Dundee and Angus Structure Plan andGovernment advice outlined in National Planning Policy Guideline 13:Coastal Planning and Planning Advice Note 53: Classifying the Coastfor Planning Purposes the Angus coast has been divided into twocategories; developed and undeveloped coast. The undevelopedcoast is shown on the Proposals Map.3.60 The developed coast comprises the main towns of Monifieth,Carnoustie, Arbroath and Montrose and includes the traditional “linksareas” which are important recreation zones. New developmentrequiring a coastal location will generally be directed toward the maintowns, within established development boundaries. Opportunity forthe establishment of a coastal footpath/cycle route to link developedand undeveloped coast will also be progressed (see Proposal SC37:Walking and Cycling).3.61 There is very little physical development on the undevelopedcoast, the exceptions being at Barry Links which is used as a militarytraining area, a number of fishing villages (Easthaven, Auchmithie,Ethiehaven and Usan) and farmsteads. The undeveloped coast isalso important with regard to natural heritage and scenic views.Montrose Basin is a unique estuarine basin of rich natural heritagerecognised as being internationally important. Priority for theundeveloped coastline will be to safeguard and protect the landscapecharacter, biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage frominappropriate development.3.62 The Tay Estuary Forum provides the opportunity to develop anintegrated approach to the management and development of theAngus coastline through the preparation of a Coastal ZoneManagement Plan. In addition Angus Council has published theAngus Shoreline Management Plan that sets out the strategy forcoastal defence. All development proposals affecting the Anguscoastline will be assessed against the Shoreline Management Plan.Developed CoastIncludes towns and cities as wellas substantial freestandingindustrial and energydevelopments. It may alsocontain sites of significance fornational and international natureconservation, important culturalheritage resources as well asvaluable areas of open spaceand recreation such as golfcourses.Undeveloped CoastIncludes agricultural and forestryland, low intensity recreationaluses and smaller settlementswhich depend on the coast fortheir livelihood. Extensivesections of the undevelopedcoast are protected by nationaland international naturalheritage designations andcontain important culturalheritage resources.NPPG13 – Coastal Planning(1997)Tay Estuary ForumThe Forum, established in 1997,aims to promote the wise andsustainable use of the TayEstuary and adjacent coastline.Shoreline Management PlanThis outlines the risks, to peopleand the environment, fromcoastal erosion and flooding andidentifies preferred policies tomanage the risks. Its aim is toensure that future land use anddevelopment of the shorelinetake account of these factors.Policy ER28 : Coastal DevelopmentNew development requiring a coastal location will generally bedirected toward the developed coast.Development proposals for the undeveloped coast will generallyonly be considered acceptable where it can be demonstratedthat:• the proposal requires a coastal location; andAngus Local Plan Review79Finalised Plan