Community consultations on the development of the Park – Ann McEllin July 2023
There has been an overwhelming response to Collective Architecture’s (CAL’s) publication of the Call for Ideas which was shared with the community two weeks ago. Thank you for your comments – we are unable to respond to everyone individually so we have produced a FAQ sheet, which can be found in this public information folder:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1zk7MDyAVA51ZGJ78gYelwbfcgMpV61s9
CAL want us to consider whether a Local Place Plan (LPP) is the best way forward, or whether they should prepare a Strategic Plan, which is what they were actually commissioned to do (see the folder of information above, where we have stored the CAL remit and an explanation of the difference between a Local Place Plan and a Strategic Plan). By definition, a Local Place Plan (LPP) is a collaboration from the whole community, so there should only be one LPP for an area. If consensus is difficult to find, a Strategic Plan can be a workable alternative, so that there is a proper channel for objections via the normal planning process.
The LPP could be produced by any community group which is properly constituted and has wide support from the community. Let’s use this next month to work through the main issues of contention, to see whether we can reach a consensus of opinion for all stakeholders in the community. We understand that one or more community groups are putting together an alternative response for Call for Ideas. We invite you to share any comments, feedback or questions with the LPP group through your community representative:
For NFA – Duerten Lau
For Findhorn Foundation – Ann McEllin
For BenCom – John Talbott
For THA – Ross Jenkins
For PET – Amanda Haworth Wiklund
For NFD – Tim Slack
For the Renters Group – Vivienne Wylde
For Mobile Home Owners – David Harrison
Next meeting dates:
We have agreed to hold an open half-hour at the end of our meetings every Tuesday, so that people can pop in to ask questions. This will be from 5pm to 5.30pm on Tuesdays at Skylab (by the laundry), next to Universal Hall.
We have listened to your feedback after last week’s article, and we have decided to re-purpose the meeting at the MAC on 29th July as a ‘question time drop in’ between 1pm and 3.30pm.
25 July 2023 – Weekly drop in session at SkyLoft between 5 & 5:30pm
29 July 2023 – Question time drop in at Moray Art Centre between 1pm and 3.30pm –members of the Local Place Plan group will be there to answer your questions.
31 July 2023 – Responses to the Call for Ideas to be sent to Moray Council. Anyone can respond – broad outline only.
1 August 2023 – Weekly drop in session at SkyLoft between 5 & 5:30pm
8 August 2023 – Weekly drop in session at SkyLoft between 5 & 5:30pm
12 August 2023 – CAL event at Universal Hall – housing and ecology workshop. More details to come.
We also offer a warm invitation to join us for meditation every Friday afternoon to ‘listen to the land’ from 4.15pm at the Quiet Garden on Pineridge. We will move into meditation in the nature sanctuary at 4.30pm.