Planning Performance: High Level Group minutes - December 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Ivan McKee MSP (Chair), Minister for Public Finance
• Cllr Gail Macgregor, COSLA Spokesperson for Environment and Economy
• Chris Cox, (South Ayrshire Council) Heads of Planning Scotland
• Paul Macari, (Aberdeenshire Council) SOLACE
• Rob McIntosh, (Aberdeenshire Council) SOLAR
• David McAllister, Planning Aid Scotland
• Dr Caroline Brown, Royal Town Planning Institute
• Craig McLaren, National Planning Improvement Champion
• Susan Rintoul, National Planning Improvement Team
• Peter Noad, (Scottish Enterprise) Key Agencies Group
• Megan Amundson, (Scottish Renewables) Applicant Stakeholder Group
• Calum Lindsay, COSLA
• Dr Fiona Simpson, Scottish Government Chief Planner
• Andy Kinnaird, Scottish Government 
• Barry Stalker, National Planning Hub, Scottish Government 
• Chris Sinclair, Scottish Government 
• Euan Robertson, Scottish Government 

Items and actions

Welcome and opening remarks

The Minister welcomed the group, offering reflections on: efforts to declutter the planning system with the removal of 71% of planning guidance, equating to over 1000 pages in total; the publication of biodiversity guidance on 17 December; the Local Development Plans (LDP) Summit the previous week; consultations on Permitted Development Rights and the modernisation of Compulsory Purchase Orders, and; the 70th anniversary celebrations of Cumbernauld.

A brief update was also provided on actions from the previous meeting and discussion around viability.

Local Development Plans

An update was provided following the Summit on LDP Evidence Reports and Gate Check. An action plan has been drafted and is to be shared shortly, which includes actions for Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Directorate (PARD), Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS), and the National Planning Improvement Champion, amongst others. The group noted that this was a helpful meeting, and has helped further understanding between HOPS and the Reporters in DPEA.

Planning application statistics

The annual Planning Application Statistics for 2024/2025 were published on 5 December 2025, providing statistics on planning decision-making and timescales for 2020/21 to 2024/25.

The group noted that whilst stats were patchy, it was reassuring to see some improvements, particularly for Major Housing Applications. The group noted that the stats are often a symptom of other issues, such as resourcing, and that the improvement actions identified through NPIFs have a role in improving performance overall.

The group also discussed the potential of identifying those authorities with the fastest average timescales and investigating what works well for them that could be transferrable to other authorities.

Workforce and capacity

The National Planning Improvement team has published its Workforce and Capacity survey report. 30 local authorities responded to the consultation, and the results have been circulated and fed into the RTPI’s State of the Profession report.

The group discussed the reports and the challenges highlighted, including the recruitment and retention of mid-career, experienced planners. It was noted that there could be value in looking at how the system works collectively, in regard to planners moving between authorities.

The group also discussed the implications of changes to visa requirements, and the effect this could have on the outsourcing of professionals. The Minister noted that the Scottish Government is keen to feedback any implications this may have on the Scottish planning profession to UK Government.

Update from National Planning Improvement Champion (NPIC)

a. Annual report

The NPIC Annual Report covering the reporting period September 2024 - September 2025 has recently been published.

 b. National Planning Improvement Framework (NPIF)

The NPIF pilot is approaching completion, with just 2 authorities left to complete the process. Year 2 of the NPIF is in progress, and authorities have been asked to provide an update on their improvement actions, with the NPI team working with authorities as a ‘critical friend’. 12 Improvement Plan Updates have been published along with an Evaluation Report for the NPIF pilot has also been published.

An Improvement Leads Network is also in development to create a space to discuss common challenges authorities are facing and identifying solutions which could be implemented.

c. Customer care

An update was provided on the Customer Service Sprint to strengthen planning service quality, with a draft paper circulated to the group. Evidence gathered through the Call for Ideas, NPIFs, and first Customer and Stakeholder survey had shown that customer experiences with planning services were not always positive.

The report highlights actions for all parties, including local authorities, HOPS, the High Level Group, SG, as well as users of the planning system.

The group noted that transparency of timescales was an important issue to focus on, and that whilst the Digital Planning Apply service may help with this in future, there should also be thought about how this can be tackled now.

The second annual Customer and Stakeholder survey has also been published, and is due to close on 9 January 2026.

• Action: High Level Group to monitor implementation of actions identified within the Customer Care Report as a standing item.

National Planning Hub

The group was provided with an update on recent work of the hub.

Since assessing the needs and asks of authorities since the last HLG, the Hub has provided immediate surge capacity to support authorities, including:

• Landscape Capacity Study and Green Belt Review for an authority
• The sourcing of a professional planner to assist with an authority’s LDP
• Technical support to an authority to prepare an LDP
• Flood risk expertise for an authority on a National Development

With more support to planning authorities in the immediate pipeline, the Hub has also been providing wider support, including support for development of draft planning guidance for BESS and the updating of Road Bonds guidance.

The group discussed the issue of Road Bonds, highlighting the age of the legislation, and evidence that currently the rate they are charged at are insufficient and consumers/home owners have had to absorb the shortfall. It was emphasised that Road Bonds are there to protect consumers, and not the authority. The Chief Planner highlighted that this was an action from the Stalled Sites work, and the Hub support was related to additional resource for SCOTS to assist them in updating this.

• Action: Hub to continue widening comms opportunities to highlight its role and support provided, including Barry and Craig to record a video promoting the national Planning Hub for the website.

Any other business

There was discussion around the SG’s forthcoming consultation on increasing the threshold for Section 36 applications, under the Electricity Act, with the consultation due to be published shortly. The Minister encouraged everyone to approach the consultation with and open mind and to provide their views on the proposals.