OUTDOOR ACCESS

Draft Core Paths Plan for Glasgow

What is a Core Paths Plan?

The aim of Glasgow City Council’s Core Paths Plan is to ensure that important paths and routes are recorded and promoted, helping to achieve a "connected Glasgow" where residents and visitors can move easily around the path network on foot, by bike, by horse or any other non-motorised means - including ‘water paths’ for rowers, canoeists and other non-motorised water users.

There is no defined standard for a core path – it can be anything from a grassy field margin to a tarmac path.  However, whilst each core path may not be suitable for all user groups, the overall core paths network in Glasgow will provide for people of all abilities.

The Council has carried out two phases of public consultation on its draft Core Paths Plan (CPP).  These consisted of an informal consultation, when people were asked to comment on early ideas for a paths network; and a final, statutory consultation, during which people could submit further comments or lodge formal objections to an updated version of the draft Plan.  The statutory consultation on the draft Plan itself is now closed, however please see below for the current consultation on the SEA Environmental Report.

The introductory text from the final consultative draft of the Glasgow Core Paths Plan, together with a set of maps showing the draft core paths, is available to view or download through the links below:

Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Core Paths Plan

As required under the provisions of European Directive 2001/42/EC and Regulation 15 of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the final consultative draft of the Core Paths Plan, has been undertaken.

The purpose of an SEA is to ensure that during the preparation of a plan, programme or strategy (pps) the significant environmental effects of the pps are taken into account.

There are three stages in the production of an SEA – Screening, Scoping and the production of the Environmental Report. Consultation is undertaken at all three stages with the three key agencies responsible for the environment - Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and Historic Scotland (HS), and with the public at the final stage.  After the Screening and Scoping stages, the SEA is carried out and the findings are published in an Environmental Report. This sets out the likely significant environmental effects of the plan and considers measures to mitigate these effects. Mitigation measures may include modifications to the draft Plan.

Glasgow City Council has completed the above stages in the SEA process for the draft Core Paths Plan and the Screening and Scoping Reports, together with the Consultation Authorities’ responses and the Environmental Report, are all available through the links below.

Screening Report

Consultation Authorities Screening Responses – Historic Scotland, SEPA and SNH + Scottish Government Letter

Scoping Report