Planning guidance

The guidance on this page is divided into:

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

In all cases, the guidance provided on this page carries 'material weight' in the assessment of a planning application. This means that, when you submit development proposal, we'll use the relevant guidance to:

• assess the proposal's compliance with the guidance
• determine whether the proposal should be approved, taking into account all other applicable policies and guidance

Statutory planning guidance documents

This statutory guidance forms part of the Statutory Development Plan for Stirling.

• Advertisements
• Small settlements
• Housing in the countryside and design guide
• Flood risk management and the water environment
• Supplementary guidance on forestry and woodland strategy
• Wind energy developments
• Housing in multiple occupation
• Historic Environment: Battlefields
• Historic Environment: Boundaries and hardstandings
• Historic Environment: Historic building recording
• Historic Environment: Roofing
• Historic Environment: Shopfronts
• Historic Environment: Windows and doors

Non-statutory planning guidance documents

This non-statutory guidance is not part of the Statutory Development Plan for Stirling.

• Residential alterations and extensions
• Sustainable transport and access to new development
• Historic Environment: Energy efficiency and microgeneration
• Placemaking
• New uses for redundant rural buildings
• Chalets and huts
• Green belts
• Developer contributions and background report
• Green Network
• Low and zero carbon buildings
• Landscape and planting requirements in new developments
• Trees and new development
• Trees and the law
• Blairhoyle small settlement proposal

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

Forthside Design Guide

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

Viewforth 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