Environmental Assessment
To ensure that the planning system protects and enhances Scotland's environment, we must understand the impact that plans, programmes and projects may have on it. This means assessing the potential effects that planning policies and development projects may have and disseminating this to a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public.
Only once we have the full picture of the effects of policies, and alternatives to them, can we deliver a planning system that makes a positive contribution to our unique natural and built environment.
The Directorate's involvement in environmental assessment focuses on three areas: