National and Strategic Development Planning

What is it?

The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006

The Act modernised the planning system and introduced a new approach for the preparation of development plans in Scotland. The old system of Structure Plans and Local Plans has been replaced by a new system of Strategic and Local Development Plans.

Local Authorities are required to produce a Development Plan for their area and this can be accompanied by supplementary guidance, setting out further detail. This suite of documents forms the basis for assessing planning applications.

Planning Policy Hierarchy

National Policy and Guidance

• National Planning Framework
  Scotland's Third National Planning Framework (NPF3), 2014, sets out the Government's spatial development framework for the Scotland and identifies a number of national developments as key components of that spatial strategy.

• Scottish Planning Policy (SPP)
  SPP sets out the Scottish Government's planning policy on matters such as economic development, town centres and retailing, housing, landscape, natural heritage and transport, with the Designing Streets documents setting out further policy direction.  More detailed guidance and good practice is set out in Planning Advice Notes (PAN's) and Planning Circulars.

Regional Policy and Guidance

• Strategic Development Plan
  Glasgow City Council is a member of Clydeplan which comprises the eight local authorities of East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils who work together on strategic development planning matters. The current Strategic Development Plan was adopted in May 2012 and sets out a shared spatial vision and strategy for the SDP area, including Glasgow.  A revised SDP is being prepared (Clydeplan) and the Proposed Plan is expected to be produced in the Spring of 2016.