A range of interconnected Scottish government policies and guidance directly and indirectly support the creation of sustainable, mixed communities.
Both central and local government agree that sustainable, mixed communities must be one of our key priorities for future housing supply and investment - this commitment was first outlined in Firm Foundations and confirmed in a subsequent Housing Statement to Parliament and is covered too in the revised Scottish Planning Policy 3 (SPP3) - Planning for Homes.
Quality housing alone can't make a neighbourhood healthy, vibrant and long-lasting. To be successful, a place must be designed to provide its inhabitants with adequate means to access jobs, education, services and facilities, attractive outdoor space, leisure and play opportunities. Planning Advice Note (PAN) 83 outlines the importance of masterplanning in achieving successful and sustainable places and provides advice on good practice.
In widest environmental terms, we need to make sure that all developments contribute to a greener Scotland and that they support related initiatives such as Smarter Choices, Smarter Places which promotes active travel, encouraging people to walk, cycle and make increased use of public transport.
The Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative seeks to draw together all of these elements to bring sustainable, adaptable designs with low energy demands into our settlements and promote exemplars of how communities could live in the future