RTPI comments on the NPF4 Position Statement are available here
March 2021 Chief Planner update: relaxation of planning control; NPF4; implementation of Planning: Scotland Act 2019; updates on emergency COVID-19 legislation: "extension includes continuing the provisions which have (i) extended the duration of planning permissions, listed building consents and conservation area consents, (ii) enabled publication of planning documents online rather than at physical locations, and (iii) allowed committee meetings to happen without public attendance. Through associated regulations, those consents which are due to expire between now and 30 September will be extended to 31 March 2022."
Fourth National Planning Framework position statement (26 Nov) available here
Transforming places together: a digital strategy for planning (launched 26 Nov) is available here
Latest Chief Planner letter (Sep 2020) is available here
Extension of measures in the Coronavirus Planning Act (Planning Permission, Listed Building Consent, Conservation Area Consent), details available here.
Chief Planner letter (2 July) on the use of outside spaces during the pandemic available here.
A new strategy document from the Scottish Government's independent advisory group on economic recovery has been published (22 June, available here).
The latest Scottish Chief Planner Letters (29 May) are available here (Planning Procedures) and here (Development Planning).
The Scottish Local Government, Housing and Planning Minister has written to Construction Scotland (21 May) with regards to the sector and the staged lifting of the lockdown, available here.
The Scottish Government is funding "pop-up" active travel infrastructure to support social distancing, details available here.
The Scottish Parliament will shortly consider a second coronavirus bill (details available here). This includes provisions for the extension of Listed Building Consents set to expire within the next 6 months.
Letters from the Scottish Chief Planner are available here (03 April provides detailed advice on planning during coronavirus).
DPEA’s guidance is available here (updated 17 April). FAQs on coronavirus and development management in Scotland are available here (16 April, updated 29 April).
The Scottish Government has released guidance (06 April) for the construction sector, available here. Non-essential work on construction sites should stop immediately.
The Programme for Engagement for the National Planning Framework 4 has been updated.
The Town and Country Planning (Miscellaneous Temporary Modifications) (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 which were laid before the Scottish Parliament have now come into force (24 April). These suspend need for (i) public events in pre-application consultation, (ii) local review bodies meeting in public and (iii) hard copies of EIA reports in physical places.
The Scottish Government have published a guidance note (23 April) explaining the temporary changes to the pre-application consultation requirements, including setting out expectations about the replacement of the public event with alternative, web-based approaches.
Emergency legislation
Emergency legislation responding to the coronavirus pandemic has been laid before the Scottish Parliament, and the details can be found here. RTPI Scotland's response to this can be read here.
Included within this emergency legislation is a provision to ensure that planning permissions that would lapse duirng the "emergency period" (defined at the next 6 months) will be extended until the end of the "extended period" (12 months).
Wider updates
The Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee has issued a call for views from Scottish businesses and workers on the current Covid-19 crisis. This will be a rolling inquiry and will consider how best businesses and employees can be supported during this time and how economic recovery can be supported once the crisis has abated. You can read it here.
The Scottish Government has published its path out of lockdown (May 21), available here.
