What the National Planning Framework means for nature in Scotland

What the National Planning Framework means for nature in Scotland

Last Monday, Scottish Ministers published the third National Planning Framework for Scotland (NPF3) and a new version of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP).  You can find both the NPF3 and the SPP here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/NPF3-SPP-Review This could be seen as a dull subject- it’s not, especially if you care about what Scotland will look like, and how it treats nature in the decades ahead.

In very broad terms, NPF3 sets out where development should (and should not) happen whereas the SPP sets out how development should happen. They are primarily planning documents, intended to shape Scotland’s built development over the next 20-30 years.  It’s clear the NPF in particular is intended to be a bit more than that though.  It describes itself as the “...spatial expression of the Government economic strategy”.  It could therefore have a major impact on how Government spending priorities affect the natural environment and the look of places which people visit and love.  

RSPB Scotland passionately supports planning, and  wants a strategic framework to guide where necessary infrastructure goes (and where it does not), and which sets out a clear framework for developers, the public and decision makers to follow. We and several other environmental groups had some major concerns with early drafts of the NPF3, which in our view focused heavily on delivering sustainable economic growth at the potential expense of environmental protection. 

However during the consultation Government and the Scottish Parliament both rose to our challenges to make the balance tilt more equally between development-and protecting the best areas for wildlife.  They recognised that if these documents were to set out a vision for the sort of place we collectively want Scotland to be in 20-30 years they needed to be more than just about growth at any cost - they also needed to recognise the importance of a high quality natural environment to our future prosperity and quality of life, by protecting and enhancing our most important places, by ensuring that development is genuinely sustainable and delivered to the highest standards.

Both documents are now quite positive - there is lots of recognition of the value of biodiversity, for example, and the positive contribution it makes to quality of life in Scotland, and the benefit it provides to tourism and our produce-like the food and drink sectors.  They are well worth looking through if you get a chance (they’re pretty readable for government policy documents too!).

 Highlights include:

• The 14 “National Developments” set out in NPF3.  Most of these are defined areas where the principle of development will be supported but some are Scotland wide – such as a new walking and cycling network or electricity grid upgrades. Some of these will be environmentally challenging so RSPB Scotland will be looking to work closely with developers and the Government to avoid environmental harm.
• A new “Presumption in favour of development that contributes to sustainable development” is set out in the SPP.  It will be interesting to see how this is interpreted by developers and planning authorities.  We think this presumption is unnecessary and could lead to some confusion.  A presumption in favour of development in isolation would be a major concern but, in practice, this will be outweighed by the need to contribute to sustainable development.  Hopefully, the need to prove that a development will contribute to sustainable development will mean a step-change in the sustainability credentials of many development proposals. And it won’t pass sustainability tests if precious wildlife sites would be destroyed.
• The SPP sets out a revised spatial framework for onshore wind, focused on protecting designated sites but also wild land and “carbon rich soils, deep peat and priority peatland habitat”.  Improving protection for peatlands was one of our asks so it is great to see it taken up.
• In addition to restating the protection given to designated sites, the SPP sets out that the planning system should “...seek benefits for biodiversity from new development where possible”.  We look forward to seeing biodiversity benefits becoming an integral part of most new developments. This is potentially an interesting steer from the Scottish Government.
• There is strong support for habitat and green networks in the SPP and NPF3 and the Central Scotland Green Network retains its national development status in the NPF.  Delivering benefits for biodiversity is now a more explicit aim of the Central Scotland Green Network description, which is very welcome.  Our work around the Inner Forth is already starting to contribute towards these aims and its great to see it given a boost.

All in, this is very positive from the Government.  Many other Government documents would do well to take on board some of the messages in NPF and SPP.Indeed SGRPID and the ‘Agriculture’ team are clearly not as advanced in their thinking and practise.  As with all policies though, the real test will be in the implementation and RSPB Scotland will be contributing, but also monitoring this very closely over the coming months and years.