Scotland 2045 - fourth National Planning Framework - draft: consultation

Ministerial Foreword

This, our fourth National Planning Framework, sets out how our approach to planning and development will help to achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.

The challenges that we are facing today demand a change in the way we plan our places for tomorrow. As we recover from the pandemic we have an opportunity to work towards net zero in a way which also tackles longstanding challenges and inequalities. We will need to future-proof places, be more innovative, and involve a wider range of people in planning. A shared spatial strategy can enable the investment and development that we will need, but we must do this in a way that benefits business and communities, our health and wellbeing and the environment. This will require us all to work collectively to ensure that decisions we make today are in the long-term public interest.

This draft National Planning Framework sets out a vision for how our places will change in the future. It reflects priorities across Scottish Government portfolios and brings together a wide range of plans, programmes and policies. It explains how we will work together to build sustainable, liveable, productive and distinctive places. Once adopted, we will support its delivery collectively.

I am very grateful for the thoughts and ideas that we have received from a wide range of stakeholders over the past two years to inform this new draft strategy. We began early engagement in 2020 and whilst the preparation was paused for a time during the pandemic, we have still been able to work collaboratively. We received many well-informed and constructive responses to the Position Statement which we published in November 2020. This input has informed both the strategy and a comprehensive and radical review of our national planning policies.

Our Position Statement engagement showed broad support for the priorities for National Planning Framework and we are now ready to take forward those early conversations and to discuss how we can achieve these outcomes in more detail. I am open to having a wide ranging debate on this – the Scottish Parliament will scrutinise this draft version and set out its views at the end of a period of up to 120 days. Alongside this, we will be consulting widely with stakeholders and the public and I want to see as many, and as wide a range of people as possible, involved in a rich debate about the future of our places. Our Participation Statement sets out opportunities for getting involved and I would encourage everyone to share their views on planning Scotland's future in response to this consultation draft National Planning Framework.