Changes to Policy; Climate Change and Flood Risk

Important News just in from the Planning Directorate:

The draft consolidated Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), which brought together the existing SPP and NPPG series into a single shorter document, was published for consultation in April this year. The consultation ended in June. Since the publication of the draft consolidated SPP two important pieces of legislation have been passed by the Scottish Parliament which have implications for planning policy. These are the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

We are proposing some changes to policy as a result of these Acts and are consulting on the proposed policy changes from today (30 September 2009) until 12 November 2009. As a result of the consultation on the draft consolidated SPP, changes are also being proposed to the sustainable development and coastal planning sections and to the policy on high amenity business locations. Updated policy on onshore oil and gas operations is also included in this consultation, which will replace Circular 12/1986.

These proposed policy changes have been assessed for their likely environmental effects under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. The results of this strategic environmental assessment are set out in an annex to the environmental report, which is being published today alongside the statement of proposed policy changes.

Links to the statement of proposed policy changes and to the environmental report annex are provided below. The consultation on the proposed changes ends on 12 November 2009. Consultation responses should be sent to sppconsultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or to the Directorate for the Built Environment, 2-J, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.

Proposed policy changes - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/29104831/0
Environmental Report Annex - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/29104534/0


It really is well worth taking at look at these proposed policy changes which propose in part:

Climate Change:

The following additions to the SPP are proposed:

• The need to help mitigate the causes of climate change and the need to adapt to its short and long term impacts should be taken into account in all decisions throughout the planning system.
• Development plans should promote a pattern of development which reduces the need to travel and encourages active travel and travel by public transport. Development plans should also require the siting, design and layout of all new development to contribute to limiting greenhouse gas emissions, particularly by limiting resource and energy requirements.
• All development plan policies should take the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation into account.
• Development should be avoided in areas with likely increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change, particularly areas at significant risk from flooding, landslip and coastal erosion.
• All new development should be designed to mitigate the causes of climate change by minimising carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions and include features that provide effective adaptation to the predicted effects of climate change.
• When designating land for new residential, commercial and industrial development, planning authorities should consider the energy and heat requirements of these new developments. New development should be planned to make best use of opportunities for decentralised and renewable or low carbon heat and power wherever possible.