Planning and Architecture
National Planning Framework 4 Position Statement – getting involved and having your say
December 15, 2020 by planningarchitecture 1 Comment | Category Architecture, Planning
We published our NPF4 Position Statement on 26 November 2020, setting out our current thinking towards the production of the next National Planning Framework.
At the same time, we also published an updated Programme for Engagement. This updated document provides a summary of engagement so far and sets out plans and opportunities for continuing stakeholder participation over the next few months, which will begin in the new year. The main aim of this latest round of engagement will be to encourage and inform responses to the Position Statement, which we are inviting through the Scottish Government’s consultation hub by 19 February 2021.
We are specifically supporting:
– all stakeholders: we have published material on our dedicated Transforming Planning website, including an updated self-read presentation explaining the contents of the position statement and additional background information. We hope this will help to stimulate any discussions.
– communities: we have commissioned PAS to convene three online events in late January / early February 2020 with a focus on supporting community groups who want to respond to the Position Statement. Further details will be available from PAS in the new year and we will also publicise through Twitter – follow us @ScotGovPlanning. Though the main aim is to encourage responses to the position statement, we will publish a short report of the issues raised.
– planning and other professions: the RTPI will be convening themed roundtable sessions before mid-February. These will encourage attendees to consider whether the position statement is heading along the right lines towards a radical spatial strategy and policy changes. If you would like to express an interest in being involved, please contact RTPI Scotland on scotland@rtpi.org.uk. We will publish the outcomes from these discussions.
– children and young people: PAS will also undertake three online workshops with children and young people so they have an opportunity to consider the position statement. We will publish the PAS report on our Transforming Planning website.
– Gypsy/Traveller community: we are keen to capture the experiences of the community. PAS will therefore undertake a telephone survey of a number of community members. We will publish the PAS report on our Transforming Planning website.
– planning committee convenors – we plan to meet with convenors of planning committees early in the new year and will extend a similar invitation to planning authorities’ Heads of Planning.
– integrated impact assessment: early in February 2021 we will bring together a number of groups and organisations to consider whether the position statement sets out sufficiently radical policy changes in the area of tackling inequalities. Again, we will be looking to support responses to the position statement but also to look at how NPF4 can be supported by the development of equality outcomes.
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I am concerned that this is a bad time to be implementing such a long term plan. We are in the middle of huge changes that will have a massive impact on all our futures. New ideas are emerging from climate change and the pandemic – some are invaluable to ensuring a healthy and productive lives for future generations. 20 minute cities – here in Maryhill that would be a revelation – if I could walk to a grocer, butcher, fish shop and baker my life would be transformed. We have the bones of a great community high street with great transport links, public transport, some great core businesses (cafes, pharmacies etc) and retail units – addressing business rates issues and new ideas around retail spaces are essential for all our high streets and the pandemic has given us a great opportunity to take action on this.
Around new housing – we need to change thinking around just building more and more estates of flats. There is going to be alot of unwanted office space that can be used for residential use that can transform our city centres before they die. And we need more green spaces – for example in Maryhill there is already high density housing – what we need here is more tree and garden planting local initiatives. I have only just seen the proposals and have only today to give my feedback so it is all very rushed. However, I feel strongly that we have an opportunity here – the plans have lots of nice language around their proposals but I think this really needs to be challenged now. How good are they really? We have an opportunity to stop thinking about “growth” and “development” and sort out our childrens’ future.