Scotland 2045: fourth National Planning Framework - draft: integrated impact assessment - non-technical summary

10. What are the likely business and regulatory impacts of the draft NPF4?

10.1 A partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) has been prepared. This acknowledges that NPF4 is likely to have some impact on all business sectors across Scotland who are likely, in the future, to engage with the planning system through the submission of planning applications. The most significant impacts will be on those businesses that are dependent on the planning system for identifying new sites for their ongoing operations. This will, in particular, include house builders, the renewable energy sector, digital network providers and the minerals and aquaculture sectors.

10.2 Our initial high level assessment suggests the following effects are likely:

• the proposed national spatial strategy sets out a high level vision of how Scotland should develop to 2045. The impact of the strategy on individual businesses is likely to arise through the identification of national developments and development management policies that are being put in place to support the spatial strategy;
• national development status will give greater certainty to developers because it establishes the need for the development, although additional costs may be associated with progressing proposals through the planning system;
• the introduction of national planning policies which form part of the development plan will provide greater certainty to developers and considerably reduce the number of occasions where they will need to engage with the planning system on the development of policies that affect their businesses;
• there are significant changes proposed throughout the development management policies in draft NPF4, both in relation to the existing Scottish planning policies and those which are currently in local development plans. The changes are intended to ensure that future development contributes to Scottish Government objectives for the planning system. Some of these policies will impact on businesses (both positively and negatively) and views will be sought on the extent of these impacts, both individually and cumulatively, before the BRIA is finalised;
• the delivery programme aims to secure a cross-government approach to the delivery of NPF4 that is unlikely to result in cost burdens for businesses; and
• Annex B of Part 5 of the draft NPF4 sets out the Minimum All-Tenure Housing Land Requirement for each planning authority in Scotland. This is included to meet the requirement of Section 3A(3)(d) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and will have particular relevance for housebuilders.

10.3 We will be undertaking further engagement with stakeholders to inform the contents of the final BRIA, including through a questionnaire. Any stakeholders wishing to ensure they receive a copy of the questionnaire should provide contact details to scotplan@gov.scot