What is Culture Change in Planning?
There are two main themes to the changes that are taking place to modernise the planning system:
Process What people do E.g. the Act, Regulations, Development Plan & Management Procedures | Culture How people do it E.g. attitudes & behaviour |
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A change to how we do things represents a culture change.
Why are we doing it?
Planning has an image of being a barrier to development: of having a culture that is too regulatory, too reactive, too slow and too technical.
The planning system manages development in the public interest. It is crucial to everyone's quality of life. To maximise it's impact it should be more efficient, more enabling, more facilitating and understandable to all.
High quality developments will make successful places that are attractive and efficient for residents, employers, visitors and which will contribute to the Scottish Government's core purpose of sustainable economic growth. The need for this focus is even more acute in the current economic climate.
What does it involve?
It involves each individual involved in planning to think and act in a different way:
- Being committed: leading by example and taking responsibility for your role.
- Working in partnership: working collaboratively and flexibly with other stakeholders: developers, private consultants, communities, agencies and planning authorities.
- Being positive & proactive: adopting a 'can do' attitude; highlighting good practice; searching for and facilitating innovative solutions that are appropriate to particular circumstances.
- Being action-orientated: prioritising, monitoring milestones to ensure progress is made towards an intended outcome.
- Being proportionate: when making requests, drafting text and in balancing decisions.
When do we need to start doing it?
Now.
Regulations are coming into force over the course of 2009. New processes need to be accompanied by a new culture for the modernised planning system to be successful.
Who is responsible?
You as an individual, which collectively means everyone.
We each have different roles to play within the planning system and we each must deliver these roles successfully to achieve quality development.
What will change for me?
New processes are being introduced that individuals will need to learn. As professionals we have a responsibility to keep our knowledge up to date. This should be assisted by the support of senior staff in your organisation and by other stakeholders.
Useful links
As a result of changes to what we do and how we do it expectations will change:
Other stakeholders will expect your attitude and behaviour to change: to work in partnership, to be positive, pro-active, action-orientated and proportionate.
Your expectations of others should also change. You will be able to expect from others what they expect of you.
How do we know we are doing it?
We should challenge ourselves by asking some of the following questions:
- Is there a more appropriate / proportionate / simpler way of achieving the same outcome?
- Is this information relevant / specific enough / too detailed?
- Am I duplicating the role of others?
- Who else needs to be involved, when and what do I need to give them / obtain from them?
What are others doing?
Stakeholders in the planning system have committed to over 30 joint actions which will contribute to a modernised planning system. The commitments of the following stakeholders are outlined in Delivering Planning Reform.
- Scottish Government
- Local and national park authorities
- COSLA
- Key agencies
- Development sector
- Private consultants
- Planning schools
- RTPI
Are others actually doing it?
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney MSP, is keen to ensure that momentum is maintained. The commitments in Delivering Planning Reform were published at the Planning Summit in October 2008. A further summit was held at the end of April 2009 to report on progress.
An update on progress for the commitments is available on the Scottish Government Planning website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/planning/modernising/cc
In the longer term, SG, agencies and planning authorities are now required to demonstrate their performance and ways to improve it in Performance & Improvement Plans.
SG and agency plans are available using the link above. Local authority plans should be available on their own websites.
Where can I find out more information on culture change in planning?
On the why…
- Report of the Council of Economic Advisors and Government's response to it.
- Crerar Review of regulation, audit, inspection and complaints.
On the how…
- Unlocking Planning's Potential.
- SPP (parts 1 and 2).
- Delivering Planning Reform.
- From colleagues in your organisation that have attended road shows run by SG.
On progress…
- Performance and improvement plans.
- Scottish Government Planning website with updates on Delivering Planning Reform commitments.