Who and What in Planning

Development Planning

The Scottish planning system is 'plan-led'. Development plans are prepared by planning authorities (and strategic development planning authorities) and set out a vision for how areas will change. They describe where development will happen and where it will not. Planning applications must be determined in line with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The development plan system is undergoing modernisation. In the new system the development plan will consist of strategic development plans (in the 4 biggest city regions only), nationwide coverage of local development plans, and supplementary guidance.

Scottish Ministers develop legislation, national policy and advice on land use planning for Scotland. In the modernised planning system, Ministers will have a role in setting a strategic framework for national developments through the National Planning Framework ( NPF); in approving strategic development plans for the four main cities and their regions and in making decisions on certain types of planning applications and appeals.

The operation of the planning system is the responsibility of planning authorities. In most cases this will be the local council's planning authority (of which there are 32), but may also be one of the 4 new strategic development planning authorities in the main city regions, or one of the 2 national park authorities.

Planning authorities should seek to enhance the quality of community engagement in the delivery of their key roles, including:

Preparing development plans, master plans, development briefs and supplementary guidance:

Deciding on applications for planning permission; and

Taking enforcement action against breaches of planning requirements.
The role of applicants and their agents:

Once the new provisions on pre-application consultation come into force this will need to become common practice across Scotland. Applicants should view pre-application consultation as an opportunity to consult with people to develop proposals which have minimal adverse impacts on communities. Planning authorities will expect applicants to submit good quality, accurate planning applications with all the supporting information identified at the pre-application stage so that processing can commence without delay.

Text taken from PAN 81