Flooding and drainage advice notes being lumped together

From S Gov Newsletter

Flooding and Drainage Advice is being replaced
The Scottish Government is due to begin work on a consolidated PAN to replace PAN 61 on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, PAN 69 on Flooding and PAN 79 on Water and Drainage during 2011. We will work closely with key stakeholders therefore if you wish to discuss the consolidated PAN in more detail, please contact Simon Pallant by e-mail or by telephoning 0131 244 7761

Compulsory Purchase; consultation on new guidance

Guidance on the use of compulsory purchase: a consultation paper

Extract from Foreword

Compulsory purchase is a valuable tool to facilitate projects in the public interest where it is impossible or impractical to acquire the land by agreement. These are often vital schemes that can promote economic recovery and sustainable economic growth and bring real benefits to our communities. But without compulsory purchase they could not go ahead.

It is vitally important that an authority considering compulsory purchase never loses sight of the people affected. The impact on someone of losing his or her home or business can be enormous. One of the key messages in the new guidance is that compulsory purchase need not be a heavy handed process if managed correctly. Key to this is the early, ongoing and meaningful consultation and engagement with those affected.

I urge you to respond with your thoughts on the draft guidance. I welcome your
comments.

(This consultation seeks views on two draft circulars. The first contains guidance on using compulsory purchase appropriately and effectively. The second will amend the Crichel Down Rules, which set out the circumstances and basis on which surplus land that was compulsorily acquired is offered back to the former owner)

Written responses invited to this consultation paper by Friday 6 May 2011.

Link to web page and consultation doc here

Spending a Day with the Leading Lights

Extract:

The Planning Aid for Scotland (PAS) 2011 conference brings together some of the most influential figures in Scotland from the fields of planning, architecture, waste, health, housing, regeneration and the environment to examine the leadership role of the planning system. This is a rare event bringing together a truly multi-disciplinary selection of professionals representing all aspects of Scotland’s built environment.

At this unique one-day conference, PAS invites you to participate in a debate that will ultimately affect each and every one of us in Scotland’s built environment. How can planning take on a greater role in creating better places? And how can we ensure greater public participation in making and improving our places? Are the different professions talking and listening to each other? How can the media help us to engage more positively with planning our environment?

The Leadership Role of Planning conference will provide not only the forum for debate – but crucially, it will investigate the practical steps necessary to make change happen.

This is the event of 2011 for all those who work to shape Scotland’s towns and cities.

You...

... are a planner, architect or urban designer who wants to realise your profession’s potential to deliver change

... work in waste management, wondering how planning can deliver improvement for our health and physical environment

... work in health or housing and want to know how planning can benefit your work

... are passionate about shaping and improving your local community

... or perhaps you are simply interested in how your town or city is changing...

For full article and more details click here

APT is too cash strapped to be able to send anyone but if you are involved in trying to shape your community then perhaps a visit to the conference?

Review of pre-recession development agreements on the cards

From 'Planning'

Scotland's chief planner is to write to local authorities to ask them to review development agreements signed before the recession in a bid to help developers restart stalled projects.

Cabinet secretary for finance and sustainable growth John Swinney said that chief planner Jim McKinnon would write to local authorities asking them to relax planning agreements that were agreed before the credit crunch.

A planning advice note from the Scottish Government indicates that, where there is a clear need, planning authorities can seek a contribution of up to 25 per cent affordable housing in new developments.

But speaking at the Scottish Property Federation (SPF) annual conference, Swinney said: "The chief planner is writing to local authorities to say the requirement for 25 per cent affordable housing should be viewed with more relaxation than is currently the case."

SPF chairman Malcolm Naish said: "The willingness to be flexible about the way policy is interpreted is an extremely welcome development and one that is essential if Scotland is to show that it is open for business".

Swinney said: "There is no point local authorities saying 'that's what we did in 2007'. 2007 development contracts in the 2011 market will just encourage stasis.

"Is that clearly understood and accepted in all local authorities in Scotland? Probably not."

Hopefully the original item from 'Planning' is here

From BPF web pages more here

From ComProp Scotland here

From Estates Gazette here

Some additional background information on the S Gov web pages here from this doc here

Prince Charles speaks out

From Today's 'Planning'

The Prince of Wales has talked of his 'unbelievable frustration' at the loss of heritage buildings to 'inappropriate owners' in a keynote speech in London.

Prince Charles said that too often in the past buildings had been sold off "frequently to the inappropriate owners who have absolutely no intention whatsoever of using those buildings in any way but had managed to spin an incredibly good yarn to local authorities about what they are going to do with these buildings and frequently, if I may say so, that line is fallen for over and over again.

Hopefully more here

New Rules to Safeguard Crofts

New planning legislation designed to maintain the long-term viability of crofting communities has been proposed.

The Scottish Government has today proposed to Parliament that new planning rules should be introduced to strengthen protection of crofting land. If passed, the rules will ensure the Crofters Commission is consulted on planning applications which could significantly affect the extent or quality of croft land, and that their views inform planning decisions.

More on Scottish Government we site here

Mr Cable's views on planning

Interesting item on Peter Bill's Estates Gazette blog:

"Has Vince the Courage of his Auction Sales Conviction"

PB refers to comments recorded in the FT with Mr C describing the market for land as being, amongst other things:

"distorted by a slow and prescriptive planning system and speculative hoarding,"

Full piece here