News In Focus
4 February 2010
Planning policies set out in new document
The Scottish Government today published a new document setting out its planning policy on nationally important land use planning matters.
"Scottish Planning Policy" replaces 17 separate policy documents with one single paper covering topics such as housing, wind farms, flooding and the natural and built environment.
The intention is to provide a document which is easier for communities and developers to understand and interpret.
It states Scottish Government policy on land use planning and contains:
- the Scottish Government's view of the purpose of planning;
- the core principles for the operation of the system and the objectives for key parts of the system;
- statutory guidance on sustainable development and planning under section 3E of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006;
- concise subject planning policies, including the implications for development planning and development management; and
- the Scottish Government's expectations of the intended outcomes of the planning system.
Also published today is a circular updating guidance on the criteria and processes when developers are required to make a contribution to the provision of local infrastructure, where a development would create additional infrastructure demands.
Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "By consolidating planning policies into one, single document, we are providing a shorter, clearer and more focused statement of national planning policy. And our new circular spells out the importance of speeding up the planning agreements process, enabling swifter issuing of planning permission."
Click here to access the policy document.