"This does not mean development at any cost..."

I have just listened to the Ministerial Statement by Derek Mackay on BBC 'Democracy Live'.

(Local Government and Planning Minister Derek Mackay gave a ministerial statement on the National Planning Framework 3 on 18 September 2012.)

Link here

I made a note of some of what the Minister stated re the review of 'Scottish Planning Policy'

I tried to take down what the Minister said as accurately as possible:

"Today I am announcing a review of Scottish Planning Policy to ensure that it remains fit for purpose  and meets the challenges presented by the economic circumstances that we now face.  The SPP makes clear that Sustainable Economic Growth **is a material consideration and indicates that planning should pro-actively support growth enhancing activities.  This does not mean development at any cost.  Protecting community and environmental benefits  will continue to lie at the heart of our policies.  Indeed the Government Economic Strategy is clear that the quality of Scotland's built and natural environment is vital to the success of the economy. 

...a revised SPP by the end of 2013

....(SPP) review...alongside the early stages of the review of the NPF.  This means  that interested parties will be able to see the connections between the two. 

The Q and A session that followed was interesting, with questions, amongst others, relating to the 'cumulative effects of on shore windfarms', 'specific city strategies' and 'Hunterston coal fired power station' - see link here for background Planning Democracy in Action: Hunterston Plans Shelved

** I link to this page because I was having difficulty finding a clear definition of SEG and I know that the use of this term is not without controversy.

I have to say I remain to be convinced by the Minister's statement that 'Protecting community and environmental benefits  will continue to lie at the heart of our policies.'

I am fearful that ultimately changes to the  SPP followed by the publication of a Third NPF will not produce positive outcomes in terms of the environment or indeed, in terms of jobs and homes for those that really need them.  

Feel free to calm my fears.