Development plans

On 11 January 2023, the Scottish Parliament gave its approval, as required by section 3CA(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, to the draft revised National Planning Framework 4 (NPF 4) laid in the Parliament by the Scottish Government on 8 November 2022. The Scottish Ministers will now proceed to adopt and publish the NPF in accordance with the provisions of that Act.

The existing National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy will remain in place until NPF 4 has been adopted. In the meantime the version of NPF 4 approved by Parliament will be a significant material consideration in the consideration of planning applications. NPF 4 will become part of the Development Plan when section 13 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 is brought into force which amends section 24 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. 

Further information can be found on the TransformingPlanning.scot website.