Scotland's Economy

Planning next steps

March 28, 2012 by Derek Mackay MSP No Comments | Category consultation

Today I made a statement to Parliament on next steps for the planning system.

Planning has an important role to play in sustainable economic growth, and I’m committed to streamlining and simplifying the planning system to ensure it does not act as a barrier to economic growth and sustainable development – while ensuring communities are properly consulted and involved.

We currently measure planning performance solely on the speed of decisions. But developers and communities have told me that they are not concerned only with speed. They need certainty over the likely timescale of decisions, and predictable outcomes.

Today, I am launching a new Performance Framework, developed by Heads of Planning Scotland and COSLA.

I have launched a consultation on revising planning fees to better reflect the cost of the work undertaken – but it is my intention to link these fee changes to performance, so that planning authorities who do not improve performance would not be able to charge greater fee levels.

These proposals are part of a range of planned measures to help planning boost economic growth, removing unnecessary obstacles to delivering projects, including reviewing planning agreements and obligations and a consultation on innovate approaches to delivering development.

Other proposals include extending permitted development rights to some areas of non-householder development.

I do not want to dispense with essential procedures or appraisals, but ensure that those in place add value, are proportionate, and are an aid, not a barrier to better informed discussions, with individuals, developers and communities.

You can read more about the statement and consultations here.

Tags: COSLA, economic growth, Performance Framework, planning

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