As we reach the end of the first month of the year, we take stock of the impacts of the pandemic on planning performance last year, recent planning decisions, and what to look out for in the planning system over the coming months…
On Holyrood
Planning performance statistics – published this month, summary statistics on planning application decision-making timescales for April to September 2021 show that, following a reduction in the number of applications processed in the year to April 2021 due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic (including for example, the shift to home working, restrictions on travel and site access, and changes to committee meeting arrangements), there has been a marked increase in the number of applications received and determined, with numbers exceeding those received over the same period in years prior to the start of the pandemic. This obviously presents a challenge to planning authorities, many of which are still facing resourcing issues as a result of the pandemic, yet average decision times do not appear to have been significantly affected. Rather:
- the average decision time for applications for local developments (other than cases where a processing agreement was entered into) increased only very slightly from 10 weeks to 10.2 weeks, although the percentage processed in less than two months dropped very slightly; and
- while the average decision time for applications for major developments increased from 39 weeks to 55 weeks, this includes three applications which took anomalously long time periods of over five years each and, when these are excluded, the average decision time increase in the time period is not so significant.
There was also an increased use of processing agreements, where the developer and the local authority agree on timescales for decisions, for both local and major development applications during this period. We are definite advocates of processing agreements in giving more certainty to applicants and assisting planning officers in project managing applications, so that is a trend we hope will continue.
Local Place Plans (LPPs) – with LPPs having been introduced in the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, the Scottish Government has now published Planning Circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans to provide guidance on the preparation, submission and registration of these, and how they relate to other elements of the planning system. In particular, the Circular highlights that LPPs can “support community aspirations on the big challenges for a future Scotland, such as responding to the global climate emergency and tackling inequalities”, with these being “a way for communities, working with local authorities and other public sector organisations, to bring forward proposals that reflect national and local outcomes.” We likewise see LPPs having significant potential in these regards, but it does of course remain to be seen how the new provisions are implemented in practice, and how they are resourced, something we will be keeping a close eye on….
National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) – in our November Spotlights, we reported on the publication of the draft NPF4 and encouraged everyone to take an interest in the consultation on that. As part of that process, the Scottish Government has now opened registration for on-line consultation events, with specific sessions for each of the action areas defined in NPF4, as well as a number of policy themed discussion sessions. In addition, in order support community engagement in responding to the consultation, a small grants scheme has been launched to support practical arrangements for community discussions (caring costs, catering, facilitation etc.). Details on how to register for the events are available here, along with further details about the consultation and how to apply to the community grant scheme, with the deadline for grant applications being 11 February. Lastly in respect of NPF4, the Scottish Futures Trust has begun work on the Delivery Programme for this and is looking for anyone interested in supporting that to express their interest by emailing NPF4delivery.engagement@scottishfuturestrust.org.uk.
Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 – we often stress the importance of the link between land use planning and transportation planning and, this month, that is illustrated by Transport Scotland’s publication of their second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STR2), which is to inform transport investment in Scotland in the period to 2042. The outcomes of the STPR2 include helping to make Scotland more accessible for residents, visitors and businesses, creating better connectivity and contributing to enabling and sustaining Scotland’s economic growth. In doing that it recognises the key role that transport has in reducing inequalities, delivering inclusive economic growth, improving our health and wellbeing, and tackling the climate emergency, all of which are also important to making better places. Specific projects identified in the STPR2 which are of particular interest to planners relate to the delivery of connected neighbourhoods, which are the transport components of 20-minute neighbourhoods, along with projects promoting active travel, mass transit and behaviour change. Consultation on STPR2 is open until 15 April, the details of which are available here.
On planning applications
Prestwick Spaceport – in a personal highlight of the month for us, we are excited to have submitted a proposal of application notice for the development of a horizontal launch spaceport at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, with this initiating a period of at least 12 weeks during which pre-application consultation on the proposed development will be carried out. This will include public consultation events, the first of which is to take place on Wednesday 23 February 2022 (subject to Covid-19 restrictions allowing in person events to take place at these times), with consultation material also to be available on-line, and further details to be issued shortly. We are looking forward to hearing people’s views on the proposed spaceport before preparing to submit a planning application in due course.
Judy Murray golf and tennis complex – Scottish Ministers have granted planning permission on appeal for the development by Judy Murray of a golf and tennis centre along with a hotel, 19 houses and an Andy Murray museum at Park of Keir, near Dunblane. Being located on green belt land, this has been a long running and contentious planning application, with planning permission for the development first having been refused in 2015, and the housing element of this since having been reduced from about 100 houses to the 19 for which planning permission has now been granted. However, the Scottish Ministers’ decision concludes that the benefits of the project are “sufficient to outweigh the loss of green belt at this location”, and that the “development is of regional and national significant for Scottish sport”. So here’s to a positive future for Scottish tennis!
On other matters
Aberdeen high rises A list rating confirmed – just under a year after Historic Environment Scotland (HES) awarded category A listed status to eight blocks of 1960s multi-storey flats in Aberdeen, and following the subsequent appeal against that by Aberdeen City Council (on which, see our January 2021 Spotlights and April 2021 Spotlights respectively), the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division of the Scottish Government has determined that HES’s decision was correct for five of the eight blocks. However, HES has been asked to exclude some of the interiors of these buildings from the listing, and also to de-list three of the other blocks altogether. This will at least partly address concerns that Aberdeen City Council had about the need for all eight blocks to have been listed, but there will still be questions about the implications of the listing for the Council as corporate landlord in terms of potentially higher maintenance costs and, more generally, the balance between preserving the built environment and ensuring it can adapt as required to provide the affordable and sustainable homes that are needed for the city.
Land Reform and Taxation – the Scottish Land Commission has this month published a report with advice to Scottish Ministers on the role of taxation in supporting land reform objectives, including economic recovery, town centre regeneration, and a just transition to net zero (all of which should of course be of interest to planners). Proposals of particular interest in these regards include additional tax reliefs for newly built properties on long-standing vacant sites to incentivise their reuse, with this seeming to us to have potential to also help deliver the planning system’s aspirations to see more development delivered on brownfield sites ahead of greenfield ones. These are though only recommendations at this stage, and any proposed changes obviously need to be carefully considered to ensure that there are no unintended consequences.
Our Place website – a new website, developed by the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, Architecture and Design Scotland, Glasgow City Council, and the Improvement Service, has been launched this month to promote the benefits of place and place-based working. This includes information, tools and resources to help support the development of places and services that improve our health, prosperity, and quality of life and protect our environment, with the intention being for the website to develop as a collaborative space with contributions from many perspectives. As it says on the website, “Our Place is a place for everyone” and, to maximise the potential of that, we would encourage everyone to have a look at this.
On us
Space related activity is definitely a theme this month and, continuing that, our Director Maggie was delighted to contribute to a Women in Property webinar on the UK space sector a couple of weeks ago. As set out in our blog To boldly go…, Maggie’s presentation focussed on some of the key challenges in securing planning consent for the UK’s first vertical launch facility at Space Hub Sutherland, and how we addressed those, highlighting the importance of taking a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to projects such as these (this being something that we are strongly committed to).
On which, to find out how we can help with any aspect of the planning process, please visit our website or email us at info@auroraplanning.co.uk. Or, if you would like to see our other blogs or sign up for email updates, please click here.
Thanks for reading!
Pippa and Maggie
