Planning has a key role to play in ensuring that the development required to achieve economic growth in Scotland is managed in a sustainable way.
Scotland needs a system that will restore confidence in planning and revitalise it as a critical tool for shaping the future of cities, towns and rural areas. Changes to legislation, policies and procedures will not achieve this alone.
To unlock planning's potential, positive changes to processes and behaviours will be required of all the organisations and individuals that operate and interact with the system.
The foundations of a new planning system were laid in the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006. To support this, a major programme of secondary legislation will be laid before the Scottish Parliament. But legislation alone will not deliver reform. What is required is more fundamental and the public sector have committed to working together in a different way and to working more effectively with the private sector.
Delivering Planning Reform represents a joint action programme for the Scottish Government, local and national park authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Historic Scotland, Transport Scotland, Architecture and Design Scotland, Scottish Water, the Scottish Property Federation and Homes for Scotland, and sets out joint objectives and actions. It has also been endorsed by the CBI Scotland, the Scottish Society of Directors of Planning, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Quarry Products Association.
The publication of Delivering Planning Reform does not signify the end of this programme of work. The actions and commitments will be kept under review by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, the President of COSLA and the Chairs/Chief Executives of the Agencies.
Delivering Planning Reform was announced in the news release Planning shake-up on October 28, 2008.