Scotland planning news, February 2022

 

The UK Government has published its long-anticipated Levelling Up White Paper. The White Paper is structured around 12 objectives including living standards, transport infrastructure, research and development, housing (with a focus on the rental sector), skills and pride in place.

The Glasgow city region will become one of three new ‘Innovation Accelerators’ – the other two will be in Manchester and the West Midlands of England. The Levelling Up Minister stated in Parliament that he had advised Scotland’s First Minister of this decision the evening before the White Paper was published.

“These new centres for innovation, research, and development will drive-up prosperity and opportunity for local people – each backed by a share of £100 million of UK government funding”.

According to the UK Government, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up will write to the First Minister of Scotland and the leaders of the other devolved administrations regarding working collaboratively towards the White Paper’s objectives, including using the new structures created in the Intergovernmental Relations Review announced on 13 January.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up has written to the First Minister of Scotland and the leaders of the other devolved administrations regarding working collaboratively towards the White Paper’s objectives, including using the new structures created in the Intergovernmental Relations Review announced on 13 January. 

A new Islands Forum, to empower island communities to inform future policy, was also announced. Representatives from Island communities from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be invited to join the Forum, with a view to collaborating together to tackle common challenges and engage with the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has committed to numerous spending pledges as part of its budget for 2022/2023. The budget includes almost £2 billion on low carbon capital investment in Scotland’s public infrastructure, as well as £831 million during 2022/23. This funding will contribute to delivering 111,000 affordable homes which will focus on achieving energy efficiency over the next ten years. Also included is a £205 million commitment for the Scottish Investment Bank, to help it support Scotland’s transition to net zero. A number of commitments were outlined to help in the fight against climate change. These include:

 

On 22 January the secondary legislation associated with The Town and Country Planning (Local Place Plans) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 came into force. As previously reported in Lichfields October planning news, these are standalone regulations for the purposes of the preparation, submission and registration of Local Place Plans. The Government has also published Circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans, which provides guidance to Community Bodies and planning authorities on the legislative requirements for the process of registering Local Place Plans. The Circular notes that “Local Place Plans are community-led plans setting out proposals for the development and use of land”. The Plans are designed to set out a community’s ambitions for future development. Once completed, the planning authority will need to consider the Local Place Plan when preparing their Local Development Plan.

The UK and Scottish Governments and Falkirk Council have signed a Growth Deal for Falkirk which will provide £1bn of future investment for the area. The new agreement means 11 projects can benefit from £80m investment from UK and Scottish Governments, £45m from Falkirk Council and £5.8m from Scottish Canals to create an Investment Zone for Falkirk and Grangemouth. Funding will be spread across the 11 projects that make up the Investment Zone, with projects sitting under two themes – Innovative Industry and Creating Great Places.  The funding will help provide:

• New centres for excellence in carbon capture and utilisation biotechnology, public transport technology, canal maintenance and operations, skills and innovation
  
  
• £21m for a Central Sustainable Transport Hub to be known as ‘Falkirk Central’ at the current Falkirk Grahamston Station and an associated ‘Green Corridor’ that will connect local communities.  
  
  
• a Just Transition plan for Grangemouth, assisting the town and its industrial cluster to achieve net zero  
  
  
• strategic innovation sites for sustainable manufacturing
  
  
• a regionally significant arts centre and a national outdoor art park
  
  
• £4m for Scotland’s Canal Centre which will create opportunities for employment, training and recreation as well as a relocated HQ for Scottish Canals who will lead the project.  

 

The Scottish Government has published a two part consultation on Draft Regulations & Guidance for Local Development Plans (LDPs) which discusses the provisions in the 2019 Act to strengthen and simplify LDPs. The consultation reflects the provisions within the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1997, as amended by the Planning (Scotland) Act, 2019. Part A of the consultation provides an introduction and outlines the structure and details of the consultation and highlights the impact assessment work. Part B sets out proposals for secondary legislation and includes Draft Regulation. The consultation concludes on 31 March 2022.

 

The Scottish Government has published a consultation on the Draft Regulations for Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments which invites views on both sets of draft regulations. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced new requirements for planning authorities to publish an Open Space Strategy, and to assess the state of play opportunities in their area for children. The Act also outlines the purpose of Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments while giving Scottish Ministers the power to prepare regulations about the preparation and engagement requirements. The consultation is open to responses and closes on 31 March 2022.

  

The Scottish Housing with Care Task Force (SHWCTF) has responded to the Draft Fourth National Planning Framework (Draft NPF4) and has urged ministers to consider the future housing needs of older people in its planning legislation. The Draft NPF4 details Scotland’s plan until 2045 and is outlined here. One of the main critiques from SHWCTF is the lack of coherently set out steps regarding the plan for addressing the housing needs of older people. SHWCT has highlighted that Scotland’s population over 65 is predicated to increase by 30% by 2045 but Draft NPF4 is very limited in the amount it refers to older people. Andrew Fyfe, chair of the SHWCTF, added: “It is vital that the needs of older people are carefully considered in the planning system at a national level to ensure a cohesive approach across all local authorities in Scotland. The significance of NPF4 cannot be understated as it will determine how the housing needs of older people will be met until 2045.” SHWCTF is set to give evidence to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 1 February 2022.