National Planning Framework 4: delivery programme V4

C. Priorities for delivery 2026

Delivering our ambitions for productive, sustainable and liveable places

In the coming year the following will be priorities:

• Implementing Phase 2 of the work of the National Planning Hub programme, to deliver a second tranche of support to planning authorities on housing, hydrogen and onshore wind (October 2025 to March 2026). Alongside this the Improvement Service programme will deliver capacity and capability building events for Scotland’s planning authorities. We will operate programme governance to assure delivery and with a further key priority of establishing the case for further Hub activity for 2026/27 onwards. The National Planning Hub is exploring how best to work with planning authorities to allow them to better share and access professional skills, expertise and capacity through facilitated collaboration between planning services; and also share and access data and intelligence.
• In terms of monitoring impact, we are engaging with selected research programmes to access data which is relevant to NPF, including on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and on Biodiversity. On sustainability in patterns of development, local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods, we recognise the value of balancing measurable indicators alongside essential qualitative information about lived experience of people in places. We will explore sources of quantitative and qualitative data with potential to contribute to our understanding of outcomes being achieved.
• We will actively monitor – through the new Notification Direction for housing applications – how NPF4 policy on housing is applied in practice and will intervene where needed.
• We will keep planning fees and their impacts under review and will lay regulations in February (coming into effect in April 2026) to reflect 2025 inflationary increase and continuing to consider formulation of a new category of development for hydrogen.
• We will work closely with the early adopter authorities for Masterplan Consent Areas, Glasgow, Highland and East Renfrewshire to assist them in delivery.
• We are looking at how we can help to accelerate work with stakeholders to support the roll out and implementation of the updated guidance for housing land audits. This will involve promoting good practice and liaising with the Improvement Service on their existing work on HLAs.