Call for Ideas and Sites - 2026

The Call for Ideas for our next Local Development Plan is now open, and we’re inviting community groups, local organisations and residents to share their thoughts on what your area needs for the future. 

This early stage is your opportunity to influence the vision, priorities and proposals that will guide development and help set the direction for how our places will grow, change and be protected over the coming years. 

Your local knowledge matters. By sharing what works well, what needs to change, and where opportunities exist, you can help us make better decisions for towns, villages and communities across North Lanarkshire. 

Your ideas will help shape the vision, priorities and early proposals and might focus on the use of land and buildings, including new recreational or community facilities:

• Allotments and community growing sites.
• Areas for environmental conservation and biodiversity.
• Active travel routes to support walking, cycling, and wheeling. 

Everyone. Residents, community councils, local groups, businesses and social enterprises, landowners, developers, public and third sector partners, and young people are all encouraged to contribute. You don’t need technical expertise, just your experience of living, working or investing here. 

Communities that have already registered a Local Place Plan don’t need to resubmit it during the Call for Ideas. Any projects, aspirations, or proposals included in registered Local Place Plans will automatically be considered when reviewing submissions and assessing development sites put forward through the Call for Ideas. 

Alongside the Call for Ideas for the next Local Development Plan, partners across North Lanarkshire are also working with local people to understand what matters most in each community over the next decade.

A short online survey is now live, asking residents to rank their priorities on key issues such as:

• improving health and wellbeing
• creating safer neighbourhoods
• increasing opportunities
• tackling poverty

The findings will help guide the key priorities for each Community Board area and ensure future plans reflect local needs and ambitions.

Find out more and take part in the community priorities survey

Taking part in the survey is a simple way to have your say alongside submitting ideas through the Local Development Plan process.

You can submit your ideas for consideration by using our online form.

Your submission should provide enough information for us to understand what your idea is, where it relates to, and why it matters. 

Tell us:

• What your idea is – for example, a suggestion for improving an area, protecting land, creating new facilities, or making places easier to travel around.
• Where it relates to - include the name of the place, a description of the location, or a simple map if it helps us understand the area.
• Why it matters - explain the need, benefit or issue your idea responds to 

If you are unable to use the online form, please call us  on 01236 632487. 

At this stage, nothing is fixed. Your input helps us understand: 

• what works well in your community
• what needs to change
• where opportunities exist
• what land or buildings may be suitable for different uses
• which areas should be protected or improved 

We’ll appraise all ideas alongside evidence and planning requirements as we begin drafting the plan.  If your idea would be better progressed through another council initiative or programme, we will advise you and signpost you to the appropriate service. 

We aim to close the Call for Ideas during August 2026.  

We may share details of your submission, in full or in part, with key agencies when seeking their advice on potential impacts.  

Following consultation with key partners, all ideas for inclusion in the next Local Development Plan will be made publicly available on this web site. Specific timescales will depend on the number of ideas and sites submitted. 

At the end of the Call for Ideas process, if land use is proposed, we will publish a map showing the site identification number and site name (as we've issued), your name, organisation, and the proposed use of the land.

To receive updates on progress with the next Local Development Plan including key stages and consultation, as well as other aspects of our planning service, please sign up for email alerts.

There are lots of ways to get involved locally and help shape your area beyond the development plan process. The council supports communities through funding and grants, community councils, consultations, asset transfer opportunities and local engagement activity. Find out more about what’s happening in your area and how you can take part on our Working with communities pages.