Climate Change Act – Section 72: fourteenth annual report

5. Other Scottish planning system action on emissions from buildings

Permitted development rights (PDR)

5.1 PDR allow certain types of development to be carried out without a planning application. In doing so, they help provide certainty and save the time and expense associated with applying for planning permission. The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a review of PDR as part of its planning reform programme. Phase 3 of the review is focussed on extending PDR for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment (e.g. solar panels) and thermal efficiency improvements (replacement windows). Proposals were consulted on in 2023; associated regulations are due to be laid in the Scottish Parliament on 28 March 2024 and, subject to Parliamentary scrutiny, come into force on 24 May. This helps to address retrofit action to reduce the emissions associated with the use of existing buildings.

Embodied emissions

5.2 Although Section 3F considers operational emissions from buildings, other emissions associated with buildings are to do with what they are constructed from and the method of construction – embodied emissions. NPF4 Policy 2 ‘Climate mitigation and adaptation’ addresses this through the approach of minimising lifecycle emissions. However, it is also directly addressed in Policy 12 ‘Zero waste’, which is clear that development proposals will be supported where they use materials with the lowest forms of embodied emissions, such as recycled and natural construction materials.