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PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
General Principles
21. The fundamental principle of sustainable development is that it integrates economic and social objectives with environmental considerations or, in some cases, imperatives, for example, climate change. It is not essentially or exclusively about preventing inappropriate development. It is, rather, about ensuring the promotion and implementation of development in the right place and of the right design and quality.
22. The National Planning Framework and development plans are key to providing a framework within which judgements on sustainable development can be made. They integrate the spatial and land use dimension of economic, social and environmental policy. Crucially these issues are brought together as part of a long-term settlement strategy rather than a series of individual decisions, while the arrangements for drawing up these documents should ensure policy making is participative and transparent.
Planning and Transport
23. Judgements on whether a proposal is sustainable are rarely simple or straightforward. However, as stated above, the link between planning and transport is absolutely critical. In general, in the more densely populated parts of the country, the most sustainable developments are those which are located in or adjacent to city or town centres and/or are well served by public transport. Developments which are detached from main settlements and which only function through residents, employees or customers using private cars are likely to be viewed as less sustainable, except where they do not generate high traffic volumes or can only occur in a rural area. However, even developments in or adjacent to city or town centres may be regarded as unsustainable if their design is inappropriate or unsympathetic, while developments poorly served by public transport could be held to be sustainable, for example, if the operations involved would be unsuitable close to residential areas or development was determined by the location of a particular resource, such as mineral working.
24. The strategic aims of Scotland's National Transport Strategy (2006) have important implications for planning, for example, in seeking to improve connectivity, reduce emissions and improve the accessibility of high quality public transport. The strategy recognises the need for better links between transport and land use planning. It supports the continued application of SPP 17 as well as making a commitment to monitor the effectiveness of that policy to ensure that is contributes to sustainable planning and transport outcomes.
25. The following section sets out the link between planning and sustainable development, in relation to each of the 5 principles.
Living Within Environmental Limits
26. Planning must manage development within our environmental limits and help to make efficient use of our existing resources, including land, the materials that come from it, and water. It should conserve and enhance the historic environment and promote bio-diversity, for example, by providing and maintaining green spaces and other habitats, which serve a number of functions and provide a range of benefits for people and wildlife. Mitigation and adaptation to climate change can provide opportunities to enhance and diversify our environment. For example, the maintenance or enhancement of connections between areas of habitat can increase the options for wildlife to move and adapt in response to changes in climate. By protecting our natural and historic resources, we respect the needs of future generations.
Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society
27. Meeting the diverse needs of communities is a key component of sustainable development. It is vital, therefore, that in drawing up development plans, this diversity is recognised and arrangements for participation and engagement are responsive to this challenge. Planning policy and decisions can have a major impact on social inclusion, for example, in helping to provide access to local jobs and services. Some developments can also pose a risk to human health, for example, certain industrial operations, and must be located appropriately away from residential areas. In addition, the cumulative impact of some developments, particularly those that impact on the quality of life in an area, can have negative effects on community confidence and well being. Securing a strong, healthy and just society may also depend on the provision of major infrastructure or regeneration, as well as the creation of places that are safe (see Planning Advice Note 77: Designing Safer Places). It is therefore essential that there is robust justification for new development, including the choice of location, design and operation.
Achieving a Sustainable Economy
28. The Executive's top priority is sustainable economic growth. The development of land and buildings is fundamental to this objective. The overarching aim is to provide for that development in a way which respects all five principles of sustainable development. Positive and creative planning can deliver simultaneously economic, environmental and social benefits. Indeed, protection and enhancement of the built, historic and natural environment can have positive impacts on the economy in areas such as tourism, and help to create better places for people to live and work while fostering a strong local identity. Quality of place, including an adequate supply of affordable housing, can be key to attracting and retaining key workers. Inevitably there will be difficult decisions to be made, particularly concerning the location of certain types of development, but decisions should not be seen as trading off one factor for another and the aim is for integrated decisions which benefit communities and the environment, for example through land restoration, in the long term.
Promoting Good Governance
29. To help deliver sustainable development, effective and participative systems of governance must be promoted. This is a key element of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006. Early, broad-based participation in development planning is particularly important because, in a genuinely plan-led approach, that is where decisions are taken about the principle of most major developments. PAN 81: Community Engagement, provides advice to planning authorities on ways to engage people in planning, using a range of techniques to suit different audiences.
Using Sound Science Responsibly
30. As more and more scientific information becomes available, the importance of using it responsibly, clearly and openly will increase. Planning authorities must ensure that they have access to up-to-date, robust and authoritative scientific information available to inform their development plan strategies and to be open and transparent with this information so that all stakeholders can better understand the alternatives and choices being considered. Where necessary, planning authorities should draw on advice from specialists, such as key agencies and statutory consultees. On climate change, the UK Climate Impacts Programme ( UKCIP) provides up-to-date information on scenarios that show how our climate might change and co-ordinates research on dealing with our future climate.
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