The 20 minute neighbourhood is one of the keystones of the Scottish Government's draft NPF4. Although the concept feels inherently urban, the Scottish Government intends it to apply to rural areas too. A research report commissioned by HITRANS and SUSTRANS provides interesting insights into how the concept would work in the Highlands and Islands.
20 minute neighbourhood
The Scottish Government wants places to support local living. The aim of 20 minute neighbourhoods is to meet the majority of people's daily needs within a reasonable walk or cycle of their home.
The draft NPF acknowledges that the concept will need to be adjusted to suit local circumstances particularly in rural areas where delivery of services and extent of local infrastructure may not necessarily be supported by the surrounding density of population.
Highlands and Islands
"Residents of rural and island communities have different lifestyles and expectations from people in urban communities, and often a different sense of community and relationship with the natural environment."
The research report concludes that 3 simple adjustments would enable the concept of 20 minute neighbourhoods to encompass virtually the entire population of the Highlands and Islands:
- Expand to include all sustainable means of transport – to bring in public transport, community transport and electric vehicles
- Treat 20 minutes as a target, not a requirement – the acceptable distance or time may vary between communities due to geography and context
- Brand as 20 minute communities – "neighbourhood" is rarely used in villages or the countryside
The report highlights examples of real projects to illustrate that the building blocks of rural 20 minute communities already exist in many places around the country.
It also develops plans for 4 communities – Dounby, Islay, Ullapool, and Foyers and Stratherrick – to show how 20 minute communities could evolve in different Highlands and Islands contexts. An approximate indication of the scale of capital spend is included.
Delivery challenges
Crucially, the report grapples with the practical challenges for delivering 20 minute communities. Key issues to address include:
- Defining the key features of rural 20 minute communities
- Tailoring solutions to the Highlands and Islands
- Ensuring 20 minute communities don’t just become a tick box exercise
- Tackling economic, social, and health and wellbeing inequalities and promoting community empowerment
- Achieving necessary collaboration between agencies
- Gathering data on availability of facilities and services
Comment
My relatives are crofters in Skye, so I have some insight into the issues/ challenges of dispersed communities. As the report notes, there is a danger that the 20 minute communities concept could lead to further centralisation of services to population hubs, worsening the situation for dispersed communities. The report provides a framework to avoid that happening, ensuring delivery throughout Scotland, not just in the hubs. It is important that this is reflected in the Scottish Government policy and guidance.
Contributor
Partner
