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PLANNING Bulletin Issue No 21

National Planning Framework

In June 2002, Scottish Ministers announced that the Scottish Executive would prepare a national planning framework. Nearly 80% of respondents supported the proposal for a national planning overview set out in the Review of Strategic Planning consultation paper, with only 4% expressing opposition. It is exceptional to have that level of support for a proposal.

The framework will be a non-statutory planning policy document which will look at Scotland from a spatial perspective and set out an achievable long-term vision for sustainable development. It will provide a coherent view of how Scotland functions as a place, and identify the drivers of change and key infrastructure needs to 2025 to guide strategic investment. It will identify the development opportunities which exist in the different parts of Scotland. The framework will therefore cover:

• settlement pattern, land resources and infrastructure capacity;
• population and household change, including the spatial dimension of social justice;
• economic prospects and the implications for planning;
• environmental challenges and the role of the planning system; and
• strategic priorities for transport and other infrastructure investment.

The framework will be evidence-based and presented in map form.

One of the influences on the decision to prepare the framework is the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). The European Commission is keen that spatial planning frameworks should provide a context for structural funding programmes post 2006.

With enlargement, Europe's economic centre of gravity is moving East. But Scotland's position on the north-western edge of Europe is fixed. Countries like Denmark are already addressing the implications of the changing geography of Europe, and this has been one of the driving forces of the Øresund project, linking Copenhagen with Malmo, and hence Scandinavia to Europe's economic core. The national planning framework will need to address the implications of Scotland's geographical position in Europe and the opportunities and challenges that this presents within the context of devolved government, European enlargement and the global economy.

The Scottish Cabinet has agreed the establishment of an ad hoc group of Ministers comprising Margaret Curran, Ian Gray, Ross Finnie, Des McNulty, Elaine Murray and Peter Peacock to monitor progress with the preparation of the framework.

The framework is being prepared with extensive stakeholder involvement. During September, regional seminars were held in Stirling, Newtown St. Boswells, Inverness, Inverurie and Ayr to seek views on the status of the framework, the process of preparation and the issues which it will require to address. A seminar for councillors was held in Edinburgh in October and MSPs were given a presentation on the framework in November.

Bilateral meetings have been held with key public agencies and private sector interests. Care has also been taken to involve relevant interests throughout the Executive.

The broad consensus from the seminars and meetings was that the framework should focus on a limited number of key spatial issues of national importance. The issues which emerged most strongly as central to the framework were strategic transport infrastructure; the spatial aspects of economic development strategy; and energy, water and telecommunications infrastructure. It was felt that there was a need to take a holistic view of the Central Belt and address the important changes taking place in the rural economy. The spatial dimension of the requirement for affordable housing was also seen as important.

The framework may identify locations where, in the national interest, a co-ordinated approach to planning is required. In August, the Executive issued the draft West Edinburgh Planning Framework. There may be a limited number of other areas which merit a similar approach.

We intend to share emerging thinking on the content of the framework at a second round of stakeholder seminars in May 2003. It is hoped that the framework can be brought forward early in the new Parliament, and a provisional target of late 2003 has been set for completion.

If you require further information or would like to offer views on the national planning framework, contact Graeme Purves on 0131 244 7533, e-mail graeme.purves@scotland.gsi.gov.uk www.scotland.gov.uk/planning

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