Sign our MLDP2 Community statement
Part of our consultation response to the Midlothian Local Development Plan 2
We are inviting everyone that lives or works in Midlothian– individual, community group, or organisation – to sign our letter and join us in asking for fairer, more sustainable and resilient Midlothian communities.
What's the MLDP2?
Midlothian Council is currently consulting on the Midlothian Local Development Plan 2 (MLDP2), which will guide how Midlothian grows and develops between 2027 and 2036.
As the guiding document that will influence planning decisions across Midlothian for the next 10 years, MLDP2 will have a significant impact on nature, climate and our local communities. It will shape how well Midlothian protects our natural landscape and green spaces, supports biodiversity and nature recovery, plans for renewable energy infrastructure, manages flood risk, and delivers sustainable and accessible transport, among other areas.
The deadline for this consultation is 25 September.
You can fill your own response here. This can be done in additon to signing our Community Statement below!
As a membership organisation, we recognise that our members bring a wide range of perspectives and priorities. Several member organisations are also preparing their own responses to the consultation, focusing on issues that matter to them at a local, thematic or county-wide level. We encourage people to read, engage with and support those responses where they align with their own views, as they provide valuable expertise and insight from across Midlothian’s communities and environmental networks.
Why are we asking for support?
Alongside our formal submission, we are inviting YOU – the individuals, community groups and organisations living and working in Midlothian – to support our Community Statement below.
By signing, you can help show public support for stronger protections for nature, communities and climate resilience within Midlothian’s future development plans.
Community Statement of Support
We support a Local Development Plan that protects and enhances Midlothian’s nature, strengthens our communities, and builds resilience to climate change.
We welcome many of the positive proposals already included within the draft Midlothian Local Development Plan 2, including measures to improve biodiversity, increase urban greening, support sustainable rainwater management, and expand sustainable travel infrastructure.
However, we believe there is an opportunity to make the plan even stronger.
As Midlothian continues to grow, we want to see development that protects existing wildlife and habitats, contributes positively to local biodiversity, reduces carbon emissions, increases access to quality green spaces, and helps communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.
We therefore support calls for:
- Stronger policy wording so that key environmental commitments are requirements rather than optional recommendations
- Clear standards and measurements for biodiversity improvements and urban greening
- Robust monitoring and reporting to ensure commitments are delivered in practice
- Greater protection for existing habitats by prioritising avoidance of environmental damage before considering ways to make up for it elsewhere
- More consistent consideration of total emissions over a development's life, including raw materials, construction and demolition
- Requirements for native, pollinator-friendly and biodiverse planting in new developments
- An increase in minimum tree cover from 21% to 30% on larger development sites, in line with Woodland Trust recommendations
The decisions made through the Local Development Plan will shape Midlothian for decades to come. We want future development to create thriving communities, support nature recovery, and strengthen our area’s resilience to climate change.
By adding our names to this letter, we call on Midlothian Council to strengthen the plan’s protections for nature, communities and climate resilience and to ensure that future development delivers long-term benefits for both people and the environment.
