National Planning Framework 4: delivery programme V4

D. Collaboration

The Applicant Stakeholder Group continues to meet quarterly and discussions have been held with the group to identify actions to help increase the use of pre-application discussions. We published a blog promoting use of processing agreements and pre-application discussions.

We continue to work with the High Level Group on planning performance as well as the Applicant Stakeholder Group which contributes to discussions on planning performance. The High Level Group is focusing on ensuring NPIC and Hub resources are supporting authorities in progress towards adopting new style LDPs.

We have been working with Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) to encourage use of standard templates for S75 agreements, and help reduce timescales for preparing agreements. Building on existing good practice identified in Aberdeenshire, HOPS have been working with planning and legal departments and the commercial sector to consider good practice. We have also provided grant funding to HOPS to identify and share good practice in aligning consenting processes across authorities to improve certainty for developers and applicants.

The Chief Planner has regular meetings with the chair of the Key Agencies Group and other discussions are arranged as needed. We have appointed an independent reviewer to undertake a rapid audit of planning teams in five key agencies and work with them to reduce complexity and cost and speed up processes. The lead reviewer will report to Ministers by the end of 2025.

We continue to work closely with the National Planning Improvement Champion. Further information on this collaborative work is set out above as part of updates on Spatial Strategy, Policy 16 and Productive Places.

We have continued to collaborate with the Planning, Infrastructure and Place Advisory Group. Further information on this collaborative work is set out above under Productive Places.

Scottish Government Digital colleagues are nearing the completion of a procurement exercise to appoint a supplier to redesign and develop a replacement for the eDevelopment.scot service. Funding has been secured to 2028, and a phased approach to development will begin in 2026 with the aim of delivering a first iteration of the new service within 12 months.