Supporting Scotland’s Growth

The recent review of the Scottish planning system highlighted the need to ‘establish a clearer definition of effective land’ (Scottish Planning Review, Page 16).

Effective land is central to meeting housing need and demand in Scotland, particularly within our cities. Scotland’s cities are the drivers of our economy; hence how they are doing in terms of their land has a great influence on economic growth.

In order to consider the actual effectiveness of the ‘effective land’ in Scotland’s cities Lichfields has conducted research focused on the cities’ housing trajectories, the age of sites identified as part of the ‘effective’ land supply, the need for a size threshold for sites included within the ‘effective’ supply; and the influence of the strength of the housing market within which effective land is located.

This document forms part of a wider suite of research reports being developed by Lichfields which explore a range of topical Scottish planning issues.