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STRATEGIC POLICY CONTEXT
07 A Partnership for a Better Scotland (Scottish Executive May 2003) confirms that growing the economy is the Executive's top priority. A successful economy is key to our future prosperity and a pre-requisite for building first-class public services, social justice and a Scotland of opportunity. The Scottish Executive is committed to creating the conditions for higher growth and with promoting Scotland as a good place to live and work, with a high quality of life which is attractive to fresh talent from around the world.
08 The UK White Paper The Future of Air Transport (December 2003), jointly published by the Scottish Executive and Department for Transport, gives a policy context to 2030 for the expansion of Edinburgh Airport in line with Government growth forecasts, and for new and improved surface access infrastructure and services. The Department for Transport, who prepared the passenger growth forecasts, regularly review growth scenarios, but have not revised the forecasts. However, the subsequent publication of the Scottish Executive Sustainable Development Strategy Choosing Our Future, and revision of the Scottish Executive Climate Change Programme, have focused on creating increasing economic prosperity within sustainable environmental limits. The UK Government has also adopted similar policies. A key ambition is to reduce the levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Air travel contributes a significant amount of total emissions and its contribution is increasing at a fast rate. It will therefore be appropriate to take account of sustainable development and climate change policies when air passenger forecasts at Edinburgh and other Scottish airports are next calculated. If appropriate, that may lead in turn to the need to review the West Edinburgh Planning Framework to reflect any changes in the air passenger forecasts.
09 The White Paper indicated that Edinburgh Airport Ltd should consult on and publish a Master Plan for expansion to 2030. The Edinburgh Airport Master Plan accords with the White Paper forecasts.
10 The National Planning Framework for Scotland (April 2004) refers to the West Edinburgh Planning Framework as a mechanism to ensure a co-ordinated approach to land use and transport issues in one of the fastest growing parts of the country. It states that the West Edinburgh Planning Framework addresses issues of congestion, the integration of land use and transport and the provision of modern transport infrastructure at a strategic location of national importance. It highlights the unique opportunity which West Edinburgh offers as an international business location and indicates that the West Edinburgh Planning Framework would be reviewed in the light of the proposals for the expansion of Edinburgh Airport contained in the Air Transport White Paper.
11 The Framework for Economic Development in Scotland (September 2004) acknowledges that the presence of corporate headquarters is beneficial to the Scottish economy in that they create high quality employment and generate a strong demand for business services. Scottish Planning Policy ( SPP) 2: Economic Development promotes a positive and prompt planning response to proposals for new headquarters buildings where justified on the basis of a strong economic case and the particular locational requirements of the company. The global connectivity afforded by West Edinburgh, together with the economic benefits conferred by corporate headquarters, provide one of the most important opportunities in Scotland to attract internationally mobile headquarters development.
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