IN THIS SECTION:

What we do

Planning for Growth

Scotland's Planning system has undergone its most significant changes for 60 years. The radical changes to the planning system were designed to improve transparency and public engagement while at the same time providing developers with greater certainty of decision taking. We are now nearly two years into the introduction of new detailed processes for development management and the jury remains out ont he benefits of the new reforms.

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What's the issue

Members often complain about a lack of understanding of key issues such as development viability within planning authorities and of the need for 'culture change' within planning authorities and agencies of government? One issue that was never given statutory backing is the matter of processing agreements for major planning applications. SPF believes that processing agreements could add certainty to the process - for applicant, the general public and the planning authority.

If the planning system is to be effective it needs to be resourced properly. The Scottish Government has an on-going consideration of planing fees and it is important that the outcome provides for a better and cost-effective system. With far fewer planning applications, particularly major planning applications, the question of resourcing is timely.

Why is it important

Scottish Planning Policy dictates that the purpose of the planning system is to promote sustainable economic growth. We believe however that it remains difficult for economic factors to hold as much sway in the deliberations of councillors as it should do, mainly because there is such a large number of other statutory demands that have to be met by planning applicants. In our manifesto to Holyrood wew called for local authorities to havea general duty to grow the economy and the time may be ripe to consider the idea of a presumption in favour of sustainable development as proposed by the UK Coalition Government for England.

What we're doing about it

SPF is a stakeholder on the Scottish Government's Development & Infrastructure Group, the Planning Modernisation Group; Audit Scotland's Planning Performance Advisory Group; Historic Scotland's Reference Group. We regularly laiise with local authorities and their representative bodies and many of our leading members have addressed Scottish Government Ministers and Officials.

Naomi Cunningham
ncunningham@bpf.org.uk
0131 306 2222

David Melhuish
dmelhuish@bpf.org.uk
0131 220 6353

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Consultation response - Development Management in Edinburgh
Our response to the City of Edinburgh Council consultation on Development Management

Go for Growth with Scotland's Economy
See our property manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections of May 2011.