The Scottish Government

Step 1

Define the aims of the policy

Step 2

What is already known about the diverse needs and/or experiences of the target audience?

Step 3

What else do we need to know to help us understand the diverse needs and/or experiences of the target audience?

Step 4

What does the information we have tell us about how this policy might impact positively or negatively on the different groups within the target audience?

Step 5

What, if any, changes will be made to the policy?

Step 6

Does the policy provide the opportunity to promote equality of opportunity or good relations?

Step 7

Based on the work we have done - rate the level of relevance of the policy - HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW

Step 8

Do we need to carry out a further impact assessment?

Step 9

Explain how we will monitor and evaluate this policy to measure progress

Step 10

Sign off and publish the impact assessment

What is the purpose of the proposed policy (or changes to be made to the policy)?

The examination of proposed development plans has been made mandatory by the 2006 Planning Act where there are outstanding representations. A new set of regulations is proposed to govern development plan examinations. It includes provisions as to the scope, procedures for and meeting the costs of examinations of development plans. The draft regulations seek to ensure that development plan examinations are carried out fairly and efficiently.

Who is affected by the policy or who is intended to benefit from the proposed policy and how?

The parties principally affected are planning authorities and strategic development planning authorities, but also parties who may wish to make representations on development plans including landowners, potential developers and people affected by development proposals. The Scottish population should benefit from efficient examination processes because this will help deliver relevant up-to-date development plans. People making representations will benefit from procedures that allow the issues they raise to be considered fairly but with a minimum of procedural complexity.

How have you, or will you, put the policy into practice, and who is or will be responsible for delivering it?

The requirements in the regulations largely fall on the person appointed to hold the examination, but there are also duties on the planning authority and Scottish Ministers.

How does the policy fit into our wider or related policy initiatives?

The draft regulations fit into the strategic aims of the Government to produce a:

• Wealthier and fairer Scotland, by increasing the speed and efficiency of the examination, and thus the plan preparation, process, and by ensuring that the issues people raise about proposed plans are fairly considered; and
• Greener Scotland, by providing a framework for environmental concerns about plan content to be assessed alongside other considerations.

Do you have a set budget?

No. It is proposed that the cost of examinations into local development plans will fall upon local authorities, while those for strategic development plans will be shared between the strategic development plan authority and Scottish Ministers.

Do we have information on

Age

Yes

X

No

Disability

Yes

X

No

Gender

Yes

X

No

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender

Yes

No

X

Race

Yes

X

No

Religion and Belief

Yes

No

X

Age

Evidence: Research contained in Planning and Community Involvement indicated that generally the people likely to volunteer their views on a planning application come from an age profile dominated by the middle aged and the elderly. It can be expected that individuals making representations on development plans would have a similar profile.
Consultation: In its pre-legislative consultation on the Planning Bill, the Scottish Parliament's Communities Committee heard from a representative of the Scottish Youth Parliament that there is a need to consider how the planning process can be made more open and transparent so that it is easier to understand and that young people should be consulted in a proactive and non-tokenistic manner.
Summary of Evidence of Getting Involved In Planninghttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2002/10/15638/12159
Planning and Community Involvement in Scotland.http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/07/19666/40347

Disability

Local authorities amongst others have a specific duty to prepare and publish a Disability Equality Scheme setting out how they will meet these duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
The Disability Rights Commission responded to the consultation on Making Development Plans Deliver: they believe that development plans have the potential to improve disabled people's access and involvement in the planning system, as well as access to participation within their neighbourhoods, communities and society as a whole. Full response available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/26350/0026228.pdf

Gender

Evidence: Defra funded focus groups (organised by the Women's Network) aimed primarily at looking at environmental decision-making for women. Women in decision-making sets out views of women on barriers to participation.
In addition, research contained in Planning and Community Involvement showed that women were slightly more likely than men to become involved in the planning process, but significantly more likely to oppose a planning application.
Consultation: Results from the Scottish Household Survey set out in Getting Involved in Planning: Summary of Evidence showed that broadly men and women were equally interested in the planning of their area and considered it was important that people should be involved in the planning of their area.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender

Currently no evidence

Race

Research contained in Planning and Community Involvement indicated that white Caucasians dominated the responses. Of the 142 responses to the questionnaire, only three (two percent) were from an ethnic minority. This is broadly in line with the ethnic mix across Scotland. However, in two of the three areas there was no involvement from people who were not white.
Evidence from across Britain indicates that planners have little understanding of the relationship between planning and race equality. Research published in 2004 by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ( ODPM), which covered England, found that, 'issues about diversity and planning are not that well understood or a priority in planning practice and procedure.' The research also discovered that while a majority of planning officers had received some training on diversity issues, the training rarely made the link between planning and diversity. Although there is no equivalent research into planning in Scotland, the Commission for Racial Equality's knowledge of individual planning situations would indicate that the position in Scotland is no different. In our experience Scottish planning authorities have little awareness of the Royal Town Planning Institute's guidance on dealing with racist representations.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/07/19666/40347 - Research highlighting the age, gender and race demographic of those involved in the planning system.

Religion and Belief

Currently no evidence

Age

We have limited information on the potential impact of this policy on this group. We will seek to disaggregate the views from individuals on the proposals by asking respondents to indicate the broad age category they are in.
We are consulting with organisations representative of older and younger people, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.

Disability

We have some information on the views of organisations representative of disabled people on the broad principles of the overarching primary legislation.
We are therefore looking for views on the more detailed proposals set out in the secondary legislation. Additionally we will seek to disaggregate the views from individuals on the proposals by asking respondents to indicate whether they consider themselves to be disabled.
We are consulting with organisations representative of disability groups, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.

Gender

We have some limited information on the potential barriers to engagement for a part of this group.
We will seek to disaggregate the views from individuals on the proposals by asking respondents to indicate their gender.
We are consulting with women's organisations, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

We have no information on the potential impact of this policy on this group.
We are consulting with organisations representative of the LGBT community, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.

Race

We have limited information on views regarding the broad principles of the overarching primary legislation. We have no information on the proposals contained in the secondary legislation.
We will seek to disaggregate the views from individuals on the proposals by asking respondents to indicate their ethnicity.
We are consulting with organisations representative of racial groups, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.

Religion and Belief

We have no information on the potential impact of this policy on this group.
We are consulting with organisations representative of religious and belief groups, and have asked a specific question on the impact on societal groups. We will gather information from the consultation response.