SUMMARY
The Scottish Ministers are committed to improving Scotland's waste management record. Policy on waste management is driven by a range of initiatives and EC Directives including targets and standards set out in the National Waste Plan. The challenge for planning is to identify locations for the required installations - crucial to Scotland's prosperity and environmental record. This should be achieved through the development plan process, underpinned by Strategic Environmental Assessment.
To date, a number of planning authorities have failed to take account of the need for waste management infrastructure in their local plans. There is now a need for a better fit between development plans and Area Waste Plans to secure shared Ministerial objectives and to reflect SEPA's policy role in waste management. Improvement will be pursued by an annual programme of local plan review - required in co-operation with the UK Government by the EC.
A sustainable approach to waste management planning relies on a number of objectives including those reflected in the waste hierarchy, reduced reliance on landfill and a set of policy and spatial principles including the polluter pays and the proximity principle (which address waste management, waste transport, environmental and employment issues and cumulative impact). Supporting economic development while safeguarding communities and fostering environmental stewardship is an important policy objective set out in the National Planning Framework ( NPF).
Planning reform aims to support the provision of infrastructure through better performance in development planning and management while placing communities and environmental justice at the heart of decision making. Community interests are paramount in the development planning process. Reforms are intended to strengthen public participation and community engagement and provide an enhanced enforcement regime.
This SPP supports a planned approach to the identification of sites for installations using a range of technologies. Focusing on industrial land, the SPP promotes a model policy for planning authorities to adopt in their development plans. Landfill will continue to be required and should continue to be safeguarded by development plans. Development management decisions should reflect development plan and National Waste Plan policies supported by other guidance referenced in the SPP including SEPA's guidance on thermal treatment of municipal waste.
Following a Partnership Agreement commitment, the SPP requires planning authorities to encourage the provision for waste separation and kerbside collection of recyclable material in consideration of proposals for new housing. The inclusion of waste handling in new domestic developments will also be supported by new Building Standards while waste reduction at demolition and construction sites through protocols and site management should be supported.
The industry relies upon the planning system to accommodate the necessary infrastructure to support the Executive's policies. Scottish Ministers will monitor progress to ensure that policies in this SPP are implemented in development plans and in development management.