A development plan is an aspect of town and country planning in
the United Kingdom comprising a set of documents that set out
the local authority's policies and proposals for the development
and use of land in their area. The development plan guides and
informs day-to-day decisions as to whether or not planning
permission should be granted, under the system known as
development control or development management in Scotland. In
order to ensure that these decisions are rational and
consistent, they must be considered against the development plan
adopted by the authority, after public consultation and having
proper regard for other material factors. Legislation (Section
25 of Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and Section
54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) requires that
decisions made should be in accordance with the development plan
unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Although
development plans do not have to be rigidly adhered to, they
provide a firm basis for rational and