Planning and Architecture

Planning Directorate’s ‘Rolling’ Blog

November 9, 2026 by Planning Directorate No Comments | Category Architecture, Compulsory Purchase Order, Housing & Infrastructure, Local Plans, National Planning Framework, permitted development rights, Planning, Planning Fees

Welcome to Planning Directorate’s ‘rolling’ blog. This blog provides an at-a-glance view of the Directorate’s recent output including legislation, guidance, open consultations and other news you might be interested in.

This page will be updated regularly, so please save it to your favourites.
Last updated 9 November 2026

Chief Planner Letters

17 August 2026 – The Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Data Centres exceeding 50MW Power Capacity) (Scotland) Direction 2026
The above notification direction was issued by Scottish Ministers on Monday 17 August. The direction requires that the Scottish Ministers are alerted of any such planning applications within 7 days of validation. This requirement applies to both new planning applications and any that are currently being considered.

16 September 2026 – The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Data Centres exceeding 50MW Power Capacity) (Scotland) Direction 2026
Scottish Ministers issued a direction requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment must be undertaken for all new data centres exceeding 50MW power capacity.

Consultations

There are currently no open consultations.

Publications and Blogs

20 August 2026 – Accelerating home-building in Scotland
A summary of responses to the above consultation was published. The consultation was a starting point for a discussion about possible measures that could accelerate the build-out of housing in Scotland. Informed by research in this area, and approaches in other administrations, it asked for views on a range of options.

26 August 2026 – Compulsory Purchase Reform in Scotland: The Way Forward
In line with its 100 Days’ Commitment, the Scottish Government published an update confirming its intention to move forward with reforming and modernising Scotland’s compulsory purchase system – and to bring forward legislation in this Parliamentary term to implement the reforms.

This followed last year’s consultation and alongside the update we have also published a report on the responses to the consultation. The vast majority of the proposals attracted very strong backing from a broad cross-section of stakeholder groups.

The consultation also included some high-level questions about Compulsory Sale Orders (CSO) and Compulsory Lease Orders (CLO). An analysis of the responses to these questions has also been published.

6 October 2026 – Energy Consents Unit Annual Report 2025-26
This Annual Report provides data and analysis of those applications administered on behalf of the Scottish Ministers from April 2025 to March 2026 by the Energy Consents Unit.

8 October 2026 – Consultation on increasing the threshold for applications under the Electricity Act – Summary of responses
Publication of a summary of responses to the consultation on increasing the 50MW threshold which determines whether applications for onshore electricity generating stations are decided by Scottish Ministers or by the relevant planning authority. The consultation asked whether there should be a single threshold applicable to all technologies and gave the option of selecting alternative threshold levels of 50MW, 100MW and 150MW. Further views were sought on transitional arrangements and the impact assessments to be undertaken in support of any change.

Other news

10 September 2026 – Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land
The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land (SVDL) statistical publication and register for 2025 was published.

17 September 2026 – Delivering Local Development Plans

The Chief Planner and National Planning Improvement Champion issued a joint letter to highlight the publication of a new to highlight the publication of a new Action Plan. The Action Plan sets out a shared commitment from all partners to simplify, streamline and accelerate local development plan preparation. Alongside a series of agreed actions, it provides practical advice on the key tasks between Gate Check and Proposed Plan.

28 October – Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Map
An update of the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land (SVDL) map for 2025 was published. The aim of the map is to make SVDL data more accessible to encourage its re-development and re-use by developers, charities, communities or members of the public.

How to keep up to date
You can follow the Scottish Government’s Planning Directorate on the following channels:
Web: Planning, Architecture and Energy Consents website.
Linkedin: Planning Directorate
Register for e-alerts: Planning Directorate news update

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