As part of preparing the LDP Evidence Report, the planning authority will need to:
- evaluate whether the previous plan delivered on its intended outcomes and allocations
- identify any lessons learnt for the preparation of the new plan
- consider the appropriateness of the previous spatial strategy
Depending on timings, these findings could contribute to a review of the existing FWS or other extant forestry plan such as an Indicative Forestry Strategy.
Spatial data to assess existing woodland in the plan area
The following national datasets available on the Scottish Forestry Open Data Portal will help assess the amount of woodland that exists in the plan area, including woodland of high nature conservation value (as stipulated in Section A159(2)(a) of the 1997 Planning Act).
Scottish Forestry Open Data Portal
The planning authority may hold other useful datasets.
| Dataset | What the data identifies |
|---|
| National Forest Inventory | All existing woodland in the plan area. |
| Native Woodland Survey of Scotland | All native woodland, nearly native woodland and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) in Scotland. |
| Ancient Woodland Inventory [Note: it is planned for this to be replaced by a Register of Ancient Woodlands] | Woodland recorded as being of semi-natural origin on either the 1750 Roy maps or the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1860. |
Data to assess the local context for forestry
Information is also available to help assess the local context for forestry. This will highlight if there are trends or factors likely to influence future woodland creation and management in the area - and which the new FWS would need to take account of.
This data might include:
- maps and statistics of recent woodland creation and felling
- maps of existing forest habitat networks and priority species
- agreed timber transport routes
- the accessibility of existing woodland in and around settlements
- planned infrastructure developments, and
- climate projections for the area (and associated risks such as increases in flooding, drought, wildfire and urban heating) and planned peatland restoration
The findings of this review can be used to screen for and possibly scope any appropriate impact assessments the Planning Authority is required to undertake.
The findings will also highlight areas where further research, consultation or data collection is needed in order to write the FWS.
