INTRODUCTION
1. The Scottish Executive published Scotland's first National Planning Framework in April 2004. The Framework sets out a strategy to guide the spatial development of Scotland to 2025. It analyses development trends, identifies key areas of change and highlights the strategic challenges Scotland faces. It provides a national context for development plans and planning decisions and will inform the ongoing programmes of the Scottish Executive, public agencies and local authorities. It is one of the factors the Executive will take into account in reaching decisions on policy and spending priorities.
2. The National Planning Framework has been welcomed by local authorities, businesses and the planning profession and has been recognised as an example of good practice in spatial planning throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. Its strategic role has generally been accepted and the development priorities it identifies are being reflected in emerging development plans. The process of preparing the Framework has helped to strengthen links between different arms and agencies of government. Policy-makers in the fields of economic development, transport and planning are now working to a common spatial agenda. The National Planning Framework has also broken new ground in applying the principles of strategic environmental assessment ( SEA) at a national scale.
3. The Executive will publish the second National Planning Framework in 2008 and this monitoring report is intended to inform the review and revision process. Drawing on the latest available data from a wide range of sources, it highlights trends and policy developments which have a bearing on Scotland's long-term spatial development. Where possible, it examines progress in relation to economic, social and environmental objectives by reference to relevant Scottish and international indicators. The Executive Summary identifies progress in relation to the 10 key elements of the spatial strategy set out in the Framework. Trends and policy developments are addressed in greater detail in the sections which follow.
4. In considering trends it is important to bear in mind that spatial strategies are concerned with long-term development and that many aspects of spatial change at the national level cannot be meaningfully assessed in the short term. The National Planning Framework was published only two years ago and it is likely to be over the medium term - 3 to 5 years - that analysis can begin to identify substantive patterns and directions of change.