Repositioning Planning:
Building a Successful and
Sustainable Scotland
A vision for a new planning system
November 2016
We Need a Plan
Scotland in the 21st century faces serious challenges and – rightly - has ambitious
aspirations. How do we solve the housing crisis? How do we keep Scotland open for
business amidst international uncertainty? How do we tackle climate change? How do we
deliver inclusive growth and create a fairer Scotland? How do we become a low carbon
economy? How do we protect our most valuable landscapes, places and buildings? How do
we support our town and city centres?
Facing these challenges and fulfilling these ambitions is complex. We need a plan.
Planners are trained and experienced in looking at the big picture. Working with all interests
we have the skills to agree a vision and deliver it. The Scottish planning system is already
respected across the world for this reason. However, the way planning works, and the way it
can be seen by others, means that it doesn’t always fulfil its potential.
RTPI Scotland believes that the Scottish Government Planning White Paper is a once in a
generation opportunity to reposition the planning system, to provide the plan that Scotland
needs to be successful in the 21st century. This requires transformations in both the way that
planning works, and the way that it is perceived by other practitioners and the general public:
From planning being seen as:
To:
A drain on resources
A way of working that invests in and adds
value to Scotland’s assets
Creating uncertainty
A source of certainty and predictability for all
stakeholders
Working in silos
An instigator of collaboration and integration
A manager of conflict between different
interests
A facilitator for all those who want to make
best use of Scotland’s land and buildings
Unnecessary red tape and regulation
Enabling the right development in the right
places
An overly complex process
Proportionate and flexible
This paper is a vision for how we can achieve this: It outlines the principles of a new
planning system that will deliver for Scotland, and proposes a series of game-changers that
will put that system into practice. These are:
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Make sure every council has a Chief Planning Officer
Allow for a Community Right to Plan
Introduce full cost recovery for planning applications and ring-fence money raised for
development management
Introduce a National Development Plan which looks at how we will resolve national
issues, including getting more houses built
RTPI Scotland believes that these game-changers would fulfil many of the recommendations
of the recent independent review of the Scottish planning system. This would create a
planning system and a planning profession ready and able to maximise their contribution to
building a more successful and sustainable Scotland.
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A Vision for Planning
Planning is about delivering sustainable development within our environmental limits. Scottish Planning
Policy’s vision for planning begins with the sentence “We live in a Scotland with a growing, low carbon
economy with progressively narrowing disparities in well-being and opportunity.”
This is a great starting point. The planning system – if used to its fullest potential – can create great
places for people across Scotland. It can bring different interests together to ensure their investments
and strategies support one another. This creates the conditions for an economically successful,
community focused and environmentally sustainable Scotland.
A Vision for Scotland
RTPI Scotland fully endorses the four outcomes for the planning system outlined by the
National Planning Framework and Scottish Planning Policy. These outcomes are:
A successful, sustainable place - supporting sustainable economic growth and
regeneration, and the creation of well-designed, sustainable places
As Scotland looks to respond to the result of the UK referendum on EU membership,
planning can help to coordinate and deliver the infrastructure needed to support sustainable
and inclusive economic growth.
A low carbon place - reducing our carbon emissions and adapting to climate change
Scotland is leading the world in deploying renewable energy technology. Planning has a
crucial role to play in ensuring this continues to be the case.
A natural, resilient place - helping to protect and enhance our natural and cultural
assets, and facilitating their sustainable use
Scotland’s natural capital is arguably our most valuable asset, and once lost, irreplaceable.
Planning can make sure that we use this resource in a balanced way; enabling its use where
appropriate, and protecting it from harm when necessary.
A more connected place - supporting better transport and digital connectivity
Planning can help bring us all closer together by designing and delivering the transport
solutions needed in our places. This means improving walking and cycling routes, public
transport connections and supporting increased communications infrastructure.
Planning – A New Way of Working
When we get planning right it plays its part in tackling the big challenges that Scotland faces. Recent
RTPI research on The Value of Planning, and the latest winners of the annual Scottish Awards for
Quality in Planning demonstrate a way of working that adds value to problem solving. The planning
system itself, and pressures from outside, like budget cuts, haven’t always enabled this way of working.
A future planning system should be a corporate and collaborative service that supports and influences
investment and policy across local and national government. It should be a frontloaded and proactive
system to allow for community and stakeholder engagement and agreement on the priorities for an area
and who is going to take them forward. It should be able to deliver development on the ground by
ensuring the vision for an area is viable and resourced. And it should be recognised as a valuable way
of providing solutions to complex issues. RTPI Scotland thinks that reforms to planning should aim for
a system that is understood as:
An investment that adds value
Investing in planning should be seen as adding value to the economic, social and
environmental dimensions of a place. Planning can, for example, help to deliver more and
better quality housing by co-ordinating infrastructure and community facilities, resolving
complex landownerships and remediating contaminated land. Good planning can help us
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take a longer term perspective, allowing us to identify where we can make preventative
spend, and so in the long run help save money and resources.
The regeneration of The Gorbals is a great example of how planning can coordinate efforts
to bring together high quality and affordable housing, community facilities and provision of
open spaces. Following sustained efforts led and coordinated by planners, unemployment in
The Gorbals fell 31% between 2004 and 2012, a much faster rate than the average of 16%
across Glasgow as a whole.
Providing certainty
A truly plan-led system can provide the certainty and predictability that communities,
developers and investors crave. More weight should be given to the development plan and
the future development outlined in it, with decisions on planning applications aligning with
this. This will make sure that planning decisions create more certainty for everyone, and
guard against drawn out decision-making processes that are open to interpretation at
planning committee, local review body or appeal.
The South Ayrshire Local Plan Story Map is a clear, visual guide to how South Ayrshire will
develop over the next ten years. Information about where, when and how development will
be brought forward is clear and accessible to as many people as possible.
Enabling collaboration and integration
Planning is most effective when it helps to bring together the different interests in a place to
decide how to shape its future. This includes the community, local and national government,
landowners, developers and agencies that deliver services like water and electricity. A closer
relationship between community planning and spatial planning is an opportunity to achieve
this at the very local scale. To play this coordinating role, planning needs to be recognised at
senior management level in local authorities and Scottish Government. Planners need to
better articulate to corporate managers how planning can help them achieve their
aspirations for Scotland.
The Findrassie masterplan outlines how 1500 new homes and 12 hectares of employment
land will be delivered north of Elgin. It was prepared by the landowner in partnership with
Moray Council, and coordinates community facilities such as a school, health centre and
green spaces, along with homes and places of work, so that an exciting new place to live
and work is created.
Facilitating all those interested in how we best use Scotland’s land
Discussions on the future of our cities, towns and villages should be exciting, positive and
proactive for everyone involved. All stakeholders should be able to come together to explore
ambitions for their place, and draw a routemap for delivering their shared vision. Planners
are experienced and well placed to broker these discussions and to support delivery through
ongoing dialogue.
Earlier this year PAS worked intensively with the Laurencekirk Development Trust to design
masterplans for two major potential development sites in the area, and to produce a
Community Vision.
Enabling the right development in the right places
Planning is about much more than control and regulation. It is a tool for providing solutions
to Scotland’s economic, environmental and social needs and ambitions. A lack of
understanding about the potential of planning, and resource pressures that have
increasingly only given public sector planners time to focus on discharging statutory
regulatory duties, has left this tool underutilised. The planning system and planners should
be focused on achieving the right development in the right place.
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Head Office: Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL
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The Nevis Forest Resort masterplan looks to create ‘A Place in the Forest’, by providing a
framework for new tourist development and investment near to Fort William. The guidelines
will ensure that the new development is high quality and takes the views of local
communities into account, while creating an economic opportunity.
Proportionate and flexible
Planning is there to conserve what’s good about Scotland, as well as enable change. This
means that we must understand the impact of new development on the environment, people
and the economy. But the supporting analysis that accompanies development proposals can
be disproportionately complicated and a source of cost and delay. There is a need to
reassess current processes, for example the value of supporting information such as Impact
Statements, and whether planning permission should be required in all current
circumstances. We should ask if these processes are still relevant, if they add value or if
they are over-complicated.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Dark Skies Park Friendly Lighting guidance gives simple
and accessible information on how to install lighting that doesn’t threaten the quality of the
dark skies in Galloway Forest Dark Skies Park. This includes guidance on the proportionate
information and evidence needed to accompany planning applications for development that
will include new lighting.
How Do We Get There? The Game-changers
We believe that the vision for planning outlined in this paper, its outcomes, aims and
principles, are shared by the report of the Independent Review of the Scottish Planning
System. RTPI Scotland has therefore framed a number of key ‘game-changers’ that would
see this shared vision realised. These do not cover every aspect of the review, but those
where the RTPI believes we can make the biggest impact. We believe that these priorities
should be taken forward in the Planning White Paper. The game-changers may require a
combination of primary legislation, secondary legislation, guidance, advice and support for
planners and all other stakeholders. Our four key game-changers are:
Make sure every council has a statutory Chief Planning Officer
We need to make sure that strategic decisions taken by local authorities and Community
Planning Partnership are not taken in isolation. The implications of new investment and
new development need to be assessed and planned for. The role of a Chief Planning
Officer for each planning authority should be established in legislation to ensure expertise
about place and spatial planning at senior management level. This should set out where
they would need to be involved in decision making within and beyond the planning
service. It would also establish how and when the Chief Planning Officer would be
required to be involved in strategic decision making. We believe that this will provide a
better planned approach to service delivery and development which will benefit places
and people.
RTPI Scotland plans to draft a paper exploring how this would work and what benefits it
can bring.
This proposal responds to recommendation 36 of Empowering planning to deliver great
places
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Allow for a Community Right to Plan
A community right to plan could involve a mechanism for communities to prepare their
own spatial plans, or reflect a more collaborative and frontloaded approach to producing
local development plans. The process should be embedded in the timescales of
frontloaded local development plan engagement and the preparation of Local Outcome
Improvement Plans. Professional planners should take an enabling role, using their
expertise and experience to help communities to explore opportunities for their area
whilst also recognising constraints and context. This will require resourcing, to ensure
that all communities who want to are able to take a more active role in planning their
places.
RTPI Scotland plans to draft a paper exploring how this would work and what benefits it
can bring.
This proposal responds to recommendations 44, 47 and 48 of Empowering planning to
deliver great places
Introduce full cost recovery for planning applications and ringfence money raised for development management
We need to make sure that councils can recover the costs of deciding planning
applications, and use this money to keep improving their planning service.
Research published by RTPI Scotland shows that between 2010 and 2015 up to 20%
of posts were lost from planning departments across Scotland, alongside a loss of
£40m from planning budgets. The average proportion of local authority budgets used
directly for planning functions was 0.63%. Meanwhile, only 63% of the costs of
processing a planning application were recovered by the fee charged.
The principle of full cost recovery for assessing planning applications should be
established. Planning application fees should be ring-fenced so that they are only
used to support the assessment of planning applications. There is a need to explore
how planning authorities can best cover the costs of running an effective planning
service.
This proposal responds to recommendations 37 and 38 of Empowering planning to
deliver great places
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Introduce a National Development Plan which looks at how we
will resolve national issues, including getting more houses
built
A new National Development Plan should look at how Scotland functions, outwith the
scope of political boundaries and timescales. It should use this understanding to set
out where and when new housing and infrastructure should be provided. Specific
development locations and sites would then be identified in Strategic and Local
Development Plans. Through integration with other national strategies such as the
infrastructure investment plan and the national transport strategy, a National
Development Plan should identify and contribute to delivering growth and
infrastructure.
This proposal responds to recommendation 12 of Empowering planning to deliver great
places
We have ten other game-changers which we also see as important to support the new
planning system.
Housing Delivery - A plan for housing growth
Recommendations 13 and 15 – Two-year housing action plans, set within the context of
simplified Local Development Plans, should be introduced. These should have early
engagement with all stakeholders and focus on overcoming hurdles between different
parties, for example developers/ landowners/ utilities. This should help to ensure that all the
housing planned for in Local Development Plans is delivered, and better aligns with
investment cycles in the supporting infrastructure.
Infrastructure - Invest in upfront infrastructure
Recommendations 17, 19, 20 and 23 - A new forward looking mechanism should be
established to take a strategic, spatial overview of infrastructure investment and how it
can be used to support sustainable development. Potential models to be explored include a
new infrastructure agency, an enhanced role for Scottish Futures Trust, and Development
Corporations. Whatever mechanism is selected, it should establish long term delivery
partnerships with landowners and/or new approaches to land assembly, and should be
closely integrated with the National Development Plan. This mechanism should also include
a front loaded rolling infrastructure fund to support early delivery of new supporting
infrastructure that allows housing and commercial development to follow.
Development Plans - Plans that deliver
Recommendations 5, 6, 7 and 43 - A new type of Local Development Plan is required:
Local Development Plans (LDPs) should take a more place–based approach and be directly
integrated with outcomes envisioned at the community level, and then upwards to strategic
planning and the National Development Plan and Scottish Planning Policy. The primacy of
the LDP should be enhanced, including automatic planning permission in principle for sites
allocated in LDPs. The LDP should have a ten year life, with a two year preparation
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deadline. This will allow planners to spend more time concentrating on delivering the plan
through implementation of an enhanced Action Programme. This simple, visual plan would
then be supported by background information and evidence. Annual monitoring reports
should be used to keep this information and the plan up to date; if a plan needs to change
during its lifetime, this should be accomplished by issue-specific updates.
Recommendation 8 - The Local Development Plan adoption process should be
streamlined. There should be an emphasis on positive and visionary frontloaded
community and stakeholder engagement, at which point the headline goals of the
development plan are agreed. The discussion should involve communities, local authorities,
agencies, landowners, developers and utility companies, and agree a routemap for delivery
by agreeing responsibilities and resources for implementation. This collaborative process
would be supported by mediation from DPEA, negate the need for Main Issues Reports, and
could remove the need for examination.
Recommendations 2, 3, 4 and 21 - Strategic Development Plans should be re-aligned as
a locus for a cross-government approach to tackling issues at the bigger than local level.
This will include integrating regional action such as City Deals, Regional Transport
Partnerships and decisions on infrastructure investments. As part of this the planning
hierarchy should be clear on the roles and relationships between the National Development
Plan and Scottish Planning Policy, strategic planning, local planning and community spatial
planning should all be clear.
Collaboration – Planners as enablers
Recommendation 9 and 44 - There should be a requirement to more closely link
community planning and spatial planning. This will help to better connect public service
provision with place development. It will also provide opportunities to better align community
and stakeholder engagement across the public sector.
Leadership and Resources - Recognise the value of planning
Recommendation 39 - Performance improvement should be incentivised. The planning
penalty clause should be abolished. Planning authorities should be supported to identify
and act on areas for improvement.
Recommendations 40 and 42 – A skills development programme should be established
for planning and other built environment professionals. This should agree the skills,
knowledge and behaviours required for the ‘new planning system’ and identify where there
are gaps and coordinate approaches to supporting planners and planning organisations to
attain them. This should include establishing a planning graduate intern programme to help
graduates to obtain diverse experience at the beginning of their careers, equipping them for
the roles demanded by the planning service envisioned in this paper.
Recommendation 36 - Local politicians should be equipped with understanding of the
context and key issues at both national and local levels, to help them make informed
decisions about the local development plan and individual planning applications, while
balancing political realities.
Technology - A modern system for a modern service
Recommendations 10 and 33 - The use of technology to support planners should be
explored and supported where it is felt that it could add value. Key areas that should be
examined include:
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Registered Charity Number: 262865 Scottish Registered Charity Number: SC 037841
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3D visualisation
Communication, public relations, engagement and social media
Data management
Development management design and process through, for example, ePlanning and
LEAN approaches
Presentation of development plans
Data protection and freedom of information
Availability and resourcing of management software
A Way Forward
Working with others, RTPI Scotland will be undertaking further work in the coming months to examine
how we can make these game-changers workable in practice. This will look to identify whether they will
require primary legislation, secondary legislation, guidance or advice and support for planners and
planning authorities.
We will explore and test the new approaches discussed above, highlight useful leading
practice and undertake analysis to build the evidence base. Focusing on these gamechangers we will also demonstrate and highlight the value that planners, planning and the
planning system can bring to a range of stakeholders and interests.
We are keen to do this work collaboratively with the Scottish Government and other
stakeholders, to continue the spirit of partnership working which is so fundamental to good
planning. If you have any questions or require further information please contact Craig
McLaren, Director of RTPI Scotland, at [email protected] or on 0131 229 9628.
18 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 8HQ
Head Office: Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL
Registered Charity Number: 262865 Scottish Registered Charity Number: SC 037841
wwww.rtpi.org,uk/scotland
[email protected]
0131 229 9628
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is the champion of planning and the planning
profession. We work to promote the art and science of planning
for the public benefit. We have around 2,100 members in Scotland and a worldwide
membership of nearly 23,000. We:
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support policy development to improve approaches to planning for the benefit of the
public;
maintain the professional standards of our members;
support our members, and therefore the majority of the planning workforce, to have
the skills and knowledge they need to deliver planning effectively;
maintain high standards of planning education;
develop and promote new thinking, ideas and approaches which can improve planning;
support our membership to work with others who have a role in developing places in
Scotland; and
improve the understanding of planning and the planning system to policy makers,
politicians, practitioners and the general public.
18 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 8HQ
Head Office: Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL
Registered Charity Number: 262865 Scottish Registered Charity Number: SC 037841
wwww.rtpi.org,uk/scotland
[email protected]
0131 229 9628