Planning: Proportionality of Assessments Short Life Working Group minutes: June 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Craig McLaren, National Planning Improvement Champion
• Michaela Sullivan, East Renfrewshire Council
• Stephen Tucker, Stantec
• Fiona Simpson, Scottish Government
• Maisie Bennett, Scottish Government

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chief Planner welcomed everyone to the in person meeting and thanked everyone for their interest in joining the group.

Overview of group aims and objectives

Chief Planner presented an opening brief, outlining the aims of the group of encouraging a proportionate approach to assessments required to accompany planning applications, using feedback from practitioners to identify improvement priorities and best practice, and to communicate these findings. A light touch improvement approach based on the Six Sigma Principles was suggested as a possible solution focused approach. The broad views from the Investing in Planning consultation were discussed.

Discussion on priority assessments and potential group membership
Some of the key assessments identified in responses to the Investing in Panning consultation were discussed, as well as the best way to approach addressing improving proportionality. 

It was suggested that inviting a current development management practitioner would be helpful. It will also be useful to involve applicants / agents to get a fuller perspective of issues arising.

While economic investment, climate and housing are all Scottish Government priorities, it was suggested that housing may be a good area to focus on to have an immediate impact. Creating a flowchart, mapping the process of a housing application and identifying key areas where proportionality may be beneficial, was identified as a useful output the group could create. This could capture information requirements at different stages – from allocation in local development plans (LDPs) to planning permission in principle (PPP), approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC) and on to development build out. 

The group agreed that process mapping and workshopping a real application with a systems approach in order to identify key issues and good practice would be beneficial. 

Timeline and next meeting

Next meeting to be arranged for early August, and will focus on workshopping an small and medium enterprise (SME) housing application. 

Actions:

• Scottish Government to identify a development management practitioner to join the group, speaking in the first instance to Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) for suggestions. Important to have current frontline experience. Group members to share any further suggestions
• Group to workshop a housing example in next workshop – medium sized housing application. Use system approach / flow chart to map out the key steps and issues / sticking points
• Scottish Government to identify a worked example to focus on in the August meeting
• Scottish Government to consider and share potential principles for ways of working, for the group to build on in subsequent sessions.
• Group to continue to run for the remainder of the year, and then to take stock