ARGYLL and Bute Council is seeking the views of residents as the authority prepares a new Local Development Plan.

The plan will set out the council’s planning and development proposals for the next 10 years and a vision for the next 20 years.

The consultation, called the Main Issues Report, sets out, through a series of questions, how the proposed new LDP might differ from the existing one and ask people’s views. The results will then be used to form a draft LDP2.

Some of the ideas proposed by the consultation include designating Helensburgh and Lomond as a 'flexible growth corridor', in order to deliver the opportunities for economic and population growth presented by increasing investment and activity at HM Naval Base Clyde; promoting and supporting the area's growing economic sectors of tourism, seafood and marine-related industries, distilling, forestry and energy; and exploring the possibility of a new National Park on Argyll’s west coast and its Islands.

Councillor David Kinniburgh, policy lead for planning and regulatory services, said: “There are many positive developments being made across Argyll and Bute at the moment and the Local Development Plan is designed to stimulate economic and population growth.

"For example, we recently opened the new North Pier Pontoons at Oban which are already proving popular and bringing an economic boost to Argyll and Bute.

“The increasingly successful seafood and marine industries can be built on and over the next few years we will also see a significant employment and population boost in the Helensburgh and Lomond area with the development of HMNB Clyde as the UK’s single submarine base.

“In the preparation of this Local Development Plan our aim is to build on the successes already achieved to make Argyll and Bute an attractive place in which to live, work, invest and do business in.”

The consultation is now open and runs until Monday, December 11; to submit your views visit www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ldp2.