Bid number (for EG use) | |
Lead bidder | Scottish Executive
Tim Barraclough
Planning Division 1,
2-H33, Victoria Quay
Tel: 0131 244 7081
Email:
tim.barraclough@scotland.gsi.gov.uk |
Brief description of the aims of the
project | To deliver services more efficiently and
effectively to customers and stakeholders by an
integrated e-planning service throughout
Scotland that allows planning applications to
be completed online and submitted
electronically to planning authorities; online
access to planning application information and
drawings; electronic planning appeals; online
development plans; and improved electronic
links between planning authorities and other
stakeholders. |
Clear description of what the
EGF money would be used to
buy | Computer software and hardware, project
management and
IT support for system
integration. |
Partners to the project likely to commit
resources | - Scottish Executive Planning
Division
- Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters
Unit
- Scottish Environment Protection
Agency
- Aberdeen City Council
- Aberdeenshire Council
- Angus Council
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Clackmannanshire Council
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Dundee City Council
- East Ayrshire Council
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- East Lothian Council
- East Renfrewshire Council
- City of Edinburgh Council
- Falkirk Council
- Fife Council
- Glasgow City Council
- Highland Council
- Inverclyde Council
- Midlothian Council
- Moray Council
- North Ayrshire Council
- North Lanarkshire Council
- Orkney Islands Council
- Perth and Kinross Council
- Renfrewshire Council
- Scottish Borders Council
- Shetland Islands Council
- South Ayrshire Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- Stirling Council
- Western Isles Council
- West Dunbartonshire Council
- West Lothian Council
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
NPA
- Cairngorms National Park Authority
(The level of involvement varies
between organisations.) |
Names of other organisations with whom the
project has been discussed (to assist the
introductions process) | - Scottish Natural Heritage
- Historic Scotland
- Health & Safety Executive
- Scottish Building Standards Agency
- Glasgow & Clyde Valley Structure
Plan Jt Ctee
|
Evidence that suggested approach has been
deployed successfully elsewhere | A range of planning authorities across the
UK have already successfully
developed e-planning services. There is
experience of developing integrated solutions
for England and Wales through the
Planning Portal and
PARSOL (Planning and Regulatory Services Online).
Rollout of a unified e-planning service in
Northern Ireland is well under way. Joint working between the Scottish Executive
and planning authorities has already been
coordinated and developed through the
e-Planning Group. Established software suppliers such as
CAPS Solutions,
IDOX,
MVM and Sx3 have proven
e-planning technology.
BT, Hewlett Packard and
IBM also have experience of
e-planning project implementation. |
Are there any restrictions to enlargement of
the project (
i.e. number of partners) | The project is open to all planning
authorities and statutory consultees in the
Scottish planning service. The project's
co-ordinated approach to e-service delivery may
also serve as a model for other consent regimes
such as building standards. |
Benefits projected from the project | This e-planning project will form an
integral part of the ongoing reform and
modernisation of the planning service. Improved
service delivery will benefit the Scottish
economy, as planning has a critical bearing on
property investment decisions. It will
strengthen the involvement of communities,
consultees and other stakeholders in planning
and make for more transparent decision
making. This project, which involves all planning
authorities, will rapidly increase the rollout
of e-planning services and remove some of the
disparities in service standards between
different council areas. Planning authorities,
applicants, consultees and other interested
parties will move from time-consuming and less
efficient paper-based systems to much more
integrated electronic working. This will reduce
back-office duplication such as double keying,
copying and collation of documents and ensure
that accurate and up-to-date information is
widely available, verified against accredited
sources such as Corporate Address
Gazetteers. It will support collaborative working which
reduces duplication of effort and leads to
increased consistency in planning service
delivery for all users, while taking advantage
of economies of joint procurement... |
Estimated financial projections | Total | 2005/6 | 2006/7 | 2007/8 | 2008/9 | 2009/10 |
Overall project cost (in 1,000s) | £5,941 | £3,011 | £2,930 | - | - | - |
Estimated projected benefits (in 1,000s) | £10,631 | £3,713 | £3,712 | £1,048 | £1,068 | £1,090 |
Is a pilot required - see guidance notes | No pilot is required as the e-planning
technology is already tried and tested. Rollout
of enhanced e-planning services will be phased.
PRINCE 2 will be followed to
manage the project and ensure adequate user
testing. |
Additionally: why is
EG funding required | Without
EG funding it will take many
years to achieve the e-planning targets jointly
agreed by local authorities and endorsed by
Ministers, set out in the
e-Planning Compact. Fragmented e-planning enhancements result
in serious disparities in the effectiveness of
service across Scotland. Without a coordinated
approach none of the benefits of sharing
resources and joint procurement will be
realised. Planning authorities have dedicated direct
running costs to fund e-planning improvements,
but the sums required to develop and implement
separate systems are in excess of available
resources. Stakeholders and consultees would
require time and resources to interface with
each system separately, and the
NDPBs lack the
revenue-raising capability of local
authorities. The Scottish Executive's Planning
Division does not have the funds available to
develop a central online application submission
system. It has explored the possibility of
developing the systems with Executive
ICT staff, but the expertise
and resources needed are not available
internally. |
Is this project complementary in any way to
other
EG work | The project will seek to link with relevant
EG initiatives to secure
joint procurement arrangements between local
authorities. |