More on politics and planning

Carrying on with the subject of 'politics and planning'.

The business law firm dwf has the following (08/10/12) on one of its web pages:

...A bit like buses, ministerial statements come along in pairs!  On 18 September the Scottish Planning Minister gave a parliamentary update on planning reform.

The system in Scotland has been through a significant change, a process that started under the Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition, then continued under the SNP minority and now SNP majority governments.  However throughout that process the various Scottish Governments have all made clear that they see the planning system (and planners) as a useful tool to implement their primary policy objective of sustainable economic growth.  Their perspective seems to be different from that south of the border.  

(Full item here)

And on a 'Ryden' (Commercial Property Consultants) web page, in an 'Ask an Expert -Planning' item, one of their consultants answers a number of questions, including:

What is the biggest issue in planning?

Without a doubt it’s planning reform...

Why does planning need a culture change?

The Government wants a more efficient and effective planning system, one which can deliver development and associated jobs. There is a desire for planning to be identified as an enabler and not an obstacle to overcome.

Culture change relates primarily to public sector performance given the nature of the reforms proposed. However, I believe that it is as much about the private sector embracing these reforms and adopting a positive approach. 

What do you think of the reforms so far?

I think it’s a mixed bag with some successes but it needs to transcend all local authorities so the improvement in service is consistent across the country. That said, it probably isn’t the best time to judge given the state of the markets we operate in and the impact on the development process generally.

How do you think this change can be achieved?

What do your clients expect from the new system?

How likely is it that the reforms will be successful?

For the full item and the answers to the other three questions please click on the 'Ask an Expert' link above.