The Scottish Government

The planning system plays a central role in coordinating Scotland's sustainable economic growth. The ePlanning Efficient Government Programme will deliver a step change in planning service delivery and drive forward efficiencies in the planning system, moving planning away from a paper process towards an electronic way of working. The comprehensive programme will develop and implement the technology capable of making faster planning decisions, thereby increasing efficiencies in the public sector and providing savings to businesses and citizens.

Policy summary

• E-Planning Group: The E-Planning Group was established in 2001 to coordinate the use of new technology in planning service delivery.
• E-planning compact: In 2003 Heads of Planning in Scotland developed an e-planning compact, which was supported by the then Deputy Communities Minister. This acted as a basis for a shared approach between the Government and the planning authorities and sets out the jointly agreed aspirations for an effective e-planning service, proviing the objectives for delivering planning information and services in the short, medium and long term.
• The Town and Country Planning (Electronic Communications) (Scotland) Order 2004: The Town and Country Planning (Electronic Communications) (Scotland) Order 2004 came into effect on 28 July 2004. The order removed the legal barriers which prevent some aspects of the planning system from being carried out electronicallyThis sets out the jointly agreed aspirations for an effective e-planning service and provides the objectives for delivering planning information and services in the short, medium and long term. Information on the order is available in SEDD Circular 3/2004.
• Planning Advice: Planning Advice Note 70: Electronic Planning Service Delivery identifies how new technology can improve the delivery of the planning system. It sets out the online information and services that need to be provided by the Scottish Executive, planning authorities and other organisations responsible for the efficient operation of the planning system.
• White paper: The White Paper modernising the planning system states that the government will continue to work with planning authorities to increase their use of new technology to improve service delivery, public access and involvement.

This is a partnership of all the key organisations involved with planning across Scotland - 32 councils, 2 National Parks, SEPA, SNH, Historic Scotland, Scottish Water, Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government.

The e-planning programme will deliver a step change in the way the planning system is delivered - moving planning away from a paper process towards electronic ways of working. The programme is made up of 5 interrelated projects:

The objective of this programme is to implement four streams to drive efficiency savings across all planning (development management and development planning), appeals and consultee processes nationally. The programme has been designed to be flexible and allow planning authorities to opt only for those streams where they currently do not have a capability.

• Online applications and appeals: a single shared service that provides consistent and easy to use forms to submit planning applications and appeals online. The intelligent forms will save staff time and communication costs by reducing the failure rate of applications during validation, reduce payment processing costs, remove the need for scanning hardcopies of plans into online planning information systems and speed up the processing of applications.
• Online planning information systems: allow citizens, agents and consultees to view planning applications (including the associated architects' drawings) and track them through the planning process online. This capability reduces the need for end users to call for updates on an application and reduces the need for planning authorities to photocopy applications and send them to internal and external consultees and community groups.
• eConsultation: facilitate the transition from paper to electronic consultation on planning applications and standardise the processes between planning authorities and external consultees. A nationwide standard for transactions between applicants, planning authorities and consultees involved in the planning process has been developed.
• Online local plans: significantly improve the internal efficiency of local plan preparation and production. This will be achieved by enhancing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and leveraging proven best practices. By providing an online local plan mapping service, architects, developers, citizens and community groups can interact with the local plan process more effectively. It will enable users to carry out site specific queries in addition to viewing the local plan map online.
• Expert systems: was to be an electronic solution aimed at answering most commonly asked questions such as "do I need planning permission?". Following a strategic review of the programme and an assessment of the delivery options this project was closed on the 26th March 2008.

The E-Planning Programme Team in the Scottish Government is leading these projects and works closely with the E-Planning Project Managers in the other 39 partners and in the Government's Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals.