At a meeting on 17 June of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, RTPI Scotland’s Director, Dr Caroline Brown, joined Pamela Clifford (Chair of Heads of Planning Scotland), Clare Symonds (Planning Democracy) and Neil Sutherland (Founding Director of MAKAR Limited) in giving evidence about the implementation and impact of NPF4 since its adoption in February 2023.
During the session, Caroline highlighted the need to adopt robust monitoring and analysis practices to gather the evidence needed to understand the full implications of NPF4 on the ground. Caroline also expressed concern about the slippage in plan preparation in some authorities, including the very small size of some local plan teams. In a plan-led system, Caroline argued, resources must be directed to all parts of the system - including policy and plan-making teams, enforcement teams, and key agencies and statutory consultees.
Caroline said: “Planning has multiple demands on its shoulders. If we are to address the housing emergency, tackle the climate crisis, and meet our biodiversity targets whilst also ensuring the protection of flood prone areas and the rejuvenation of our town centres, it is important that we understand the interplay of NPF4’s policies, how they’re being interpreted and implemented across Scotland, and the resources and support required to ensure a consistent and proportionate approach is taken to planning decision making.
“Whilst RTPI Scotland welcomes the potential additional resource offered by the Scottish Government’s new Planning Hub initiative, the Hub must be tailored to the specific needs of local authorities. Using analysis outcomes from the National Planning Improvement Framework Performance Assessments and Action Plans would be one way of achieving this.
“I look forward to seeing the outcomes of this year’s review of NPF4 by the LGHP Committee and am optimistic for its future and long-term impacts if the evidence presented in today’s meeting is taken on board.”
Watch the full evidence session here: Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee | Scottish Parliament TV
Image of Caroline is licensed under the Scottish Parliament Copyright License
