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Publication - Speech/statement

Town Centre Action Plan: Scottish Government response

Published
7 November 2013
Topic
Building, planning and design
ISBN
9781782569497

Our response to the National Review of Town Centres.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Pro-active Planning

The Scottish Government fully embraces the review recommendation for a simple, encouraging and pro-active planning policy in support of town centres. This approach fits with our wider programme of modernisation around Scotland's planning system. Our recent consultation on the draft Scottish Planning Policy ( SPP) proposed a town centre health check to help inform development plans and planning applications. The purpose of the health check is to assess the strengths, weaknesses and resilience of a town centre and its vitality and viability. Our intention is to ensure that planning policy is efficient, inclusive, fit for purpose and sustainable to enable action for our town centres. The Scottish Government will undertake the following:

Actions

Timescale-
Short/Medium/Long
  • We will ensure that an updated town centre first planning policy and associated 'sequential test' is included in the final SPP, due for publication in Summer 2014.

Short/Medium
  • We will identify pilots with interested planning authorities who wish to consider collaboration and test approaches which could help simplify planning processes in town centres.

Short/Medium
  • We will continue to encourage local authorities and other stakeholders to use compulsory purchase powers to promote sustainable economic growth.

Short
  • We will develop a Master-Planning Toolkit, specific to town centres, that includes guidance on specific transport and design details, focusing on the development of quality, accessible public realm and the use of town assets.

Short
  • We will develop a fund open to local authorities and community and third sector organisations to help deliver community design charrettes focussed on town centres.

Short
  • Working with Architecture + Design Scotland, we will support a stalled spaces demonstration project identifying temporary uses for sites within town centres.

Short
  • We will shortly publish a consultation on planning and telecoms provisions. The consultation will focus on removing unnecessary barriers to telecoms infrastructure provision; in particular it will focus on permitted development ( i.e. development where a specific planning application is not required).

Short

Contact

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