SLE seeking planning flexibility

Greater flexibility and a rural focus in the planning system will be required in new planning guidelines if communities in the countryside are to thrive in the future, the rural business owners group, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has claimed.

Warning that a “onesize-fits-all” approach for a planning framework in Scotland would be detrimental to rural communities, the organisation said that requirements varied widely between urban and rural areas.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as uncertainty around Brexit, will see a bigger need for rural communities to be resilient if they are to thrive,” said SLE policy adviser, Gavin Mowat.

“To ensure resilience, it is vital that the new planning framework considers people’s quality of life, health and wellbeing as well as climate change through the better design of both homes and the wider area.

“This means we will need a flexible planning system that delivers more affordable housing and allows for rural businesses to diversify in order to survive and thrive.”

Responding to requests to feed into latest National Planning Framework plan for Scotland, SLE said that the requirements for issues such as future transport needs, healthcare, education and community facilities differed markedly in small rural communities when compared with the infrastructure required for larger developments on the fringe of a city or town:

“Flexibility is key as Scotland’s communities and businesses emerge out of lockdown, through Brexit and into a new-normal,” said Mowat.