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Delivery
The SSCI is focussed on outcomes - this is not just an Initiative about successful planning and design of possible places. Deliverability will be one of the key measures of success. Exciting and innovative proposals for these new communities will be assessed in relation to the practicality of the proposal. Submissions must be accompanied by a realistic and achievable plan for delivery which demonstrates control over the appropriate legal interests in suitably serviced land, ability to achieve necessary planning permissions, economic viability of the project in the long term, the capacity to deliver high quality design aspirations and access to necessary finance. While initial submissions may not be able to demonstrate that they can fulfil all the delivery criteria below, the more that can be offered, the stronger the bid. At the very least promoters will be expected to show they have seriously considered how these criteria can be met.
Planning: The promoter must demonstrate a full understanding of the planning context of the area. In general, sites should be allocated in the development plan, or be supported by an emerging spatial strategy, or be progressing through the planning application process. Proposals on sites not identified in the development plan, or where there are significant obstacles to the grant of planning permission, will require to demonstrate a realistic and convincing strategy for obtaining necessary permissions to ensure delivery within the proposed timescale. Promoters should demonstrate their commitment and technical capability to follow through on stated intentions in relation to high standards of design quality.
Land: A promoter will need to demonstrate access to appropriate land either through ownership, options, or through partners. Land can be held by the promoter, or a partner who has formally committed to release it for the project. Parties could either be private landowners or land holding public sector bodies such as local authorities, or land holding non-government organisations, or perhaps both groups, in partnerships.
It is not envisaged that promoters will acquire land through compulsory purchase, however the presence of a partner body in the team with appropriate compulsory purchase powers might be an asset. These powers could be helpful if used strategically to resolve particular problems of defective titles, absent owners, infrastructure provision, or key sites required to speed up development.
Finance: As much of the future investment in sustainable communities will come from the private sector, it is vital that private and social housing providers, commercial developers, infrastructure providers and their supporting financial institutions have confidence in the promoter's scheme. The organisation will need to demonstrate the ability to access the capital to finance its objectives at the appropriate time.
Where the promoter's scheme depends on public sector contributions to support provision of transport or water and sewerage infrastructure, energy generation, social housing, or health and education provision, it must be demonstrated that there is existing capacity or that the appropriate funding or other mechanisms will be available to ensure the necessary provision at the appropriate time.
Delivery body: Promoters may also need a delivery body to plan, co-ordinate with partners, acquire and sustainably manage land, and liaise with infrastructure providers and landowners to deliver the development. In situations where there is a single landowner taking the proposal forward this may not be necessary. Where the use of a delivery body is proposed, its structure should be clearly set out. This might be a company with share capital, or limited by guarantee, a partnership between a private and public sector, a special purpose vehicle, or one of the recognised not for profit structures. Ideally it should be able to demonstrate clear lines of legal, financial and political accountability, effective representation of major interests in the scheme, be able to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land, and raise finance. Investors will also need to be convinced that the delivery body has or can access all the requisite skills in finance, planning, land management, environmental monitoring and design.
Q5. How will this proposal be delivered?
Outline:
a. the planning status of the land including the relationship with the development plan for the area, proposed approach to securing planning permission, and meeting obligations under environmental legislation
b. the proposed timescale of the project
c. philosophy, intentions and commitment of landowners, developers, local government
d. the business case for the development, demonstrating financial viability
e. the infrastructural requirements and proposed implementation plan
f. structure of delivery body
g. the proposed design and development process including the potential for use of design competitions
h. proposed evaluation measures/indicators of success
i. outline the ways in which the Scottish Government might assist the delivery of this project
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