Planning for planning
/Community groups and anyone else interested in development planning are being encouraged to respond to two separate consultations on a draft framework to inform day to day decision making in the planning system.
The Scottish Government has published its fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4). It sets out how places and environments will be planned and designed in the years to come. You can read the NPF4 here.
NPF4 is described as a long term plan for Scotland that sets out how the Scottish Government’s approach to planning and development will help to achieve a net-zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.
The Scottish Government states that the framework will guide spatial development, set out Scotland’s national planning policies, and will designate certain developments or classes of development as ‘national developments’ for which Ministers have established a need in principle.
When adopted (planned for summer 2022) NPF4 will have the status of the development plan for planning purposes. This means that its policies should inform day to day decision making in the planning system. It will also guide local development plans and will be relevant to regional spatial strategies and important for communities as they develop their Local Place Plans.
Draft NPF4 is now subject to Parliamentary scrutiny for up to 120 days. Two separate consultations are now open, one by the Scottish Parliament, and one by the Scottish Government.
Scottish Parliament scrutiny and consultation
Several committees in the Scottish Parliament have agreed to collaborate to scrutinise this using their knowledge of
planning
climate change;
rural affairs;
the economy;
health; and
equalities.
The committees want to hear your views on how space, land and environments in Scotland should be designed and planned. They want to know
What does your ideal home look like and what surrounds it?
How can we design our environments to address climate change?
How do you use space to stay healthy and well?
How can planning encourage people to live in rural areas?
How can land and spaces best promote equality?
How can we use land and spaces to meet biodiversity targets?
They want to know your priorities for your environment and whether NPF4 will deliver this.
You can send your views here: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/lgc/npf4/
The deadline for responses is Monday 10 January 2022.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre has published a blog on the NPF4 here: https://spice-spotlight.scot/2021/11/18/scotland-2045-draft-fourth-national-planning-framework-the-role-of-the-scottish-parliament/
Scottish Government consultation
The Scottish Government is encouraging the submission of responses through the Scottish Government’s consultation portal until 31 March 2022.
Guidance and resources
The Government wants to encourage responses to the consultation from a wide range of interests and have therefore prepared a range of resources to help people and communities respond. These resources include:
emerging details of a range of online discussions which you can sign up for.
access to online material on NPF4, including on regional and thematic issues.
details of the 18 proposed national developments.
details of a community grant scheme to support communities respond to the consultation.
These, and other resources, can be found on www.transformingplanning.scot.
More information
See more information and resources on both development planning and sustainability below.
