INTRODUCTION
01 The West Edinburgh Planning Framework was published jointly by the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council in 2003. It set out a long-term strategic vision for an area considered to be nationally important in terms of economic development, global connectivity, transport and the environment. The vision involves West Edinburgh 1 becoming a modern and high quality gateway to Scotland and Edinburgh, more accessible from all parts of Scotland, the UK and the wider world, and an internationally competitive business location.
02 Whilst still pitched at a strategic level, the W est Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 provides more detail about the location of additional investment planned for the area. As a result of greater certainty about the nature of airport expansion and planned transport infrastructure proposals, the West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 now provides more active support for airport growth and the development of selected sites for internationally competitive business development. This is all anticipated to be capable of bringing significant additional economic benefits at a Scottish level. The West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 also now provides for transport infrastructure proposals approved by Parliament and other necessary transport enhancements. The framework does not attempt to address regeneration issues, such as those in Newbridge, which are properly an issue for the Local Plan.
03 The West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 has the status of a Scottish Planning Policy ( SPP) and the policies it contains will serve as an important input to the Development Plan for the area and will also be a material consideration in development management decisions.
04 The Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council, and West Lothian Council formed the main Steering Group for the review. The Steering Group joined with BAA Edinburgh Airport and Fife Council to steer the finalisation of the Edinburgh Airport Master Plan after the consultation on the outline draft and the responses to that. The review was also informed by a Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA), transport model, feasibility study into the relocation of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society for Scotland, and property market update. The Steering Group also worked with Scottish Environment Protection Agency and others on the Gogar Burn Partnership Group to explore ways of addressing environmental and water quality issues in the Gogar Burn corridor. These pieces of work 2 are summarised in the accompanying West Edinburgh Planning Framework 2006 Background Report.
05 A wider stakeholder group comprising other local authorities and Enterprise Companies, MPs and MSPs, landowner interests and professional advisers, community groups, transport and environmental interests were kept informed of progress through general meetings, by a website, and by individual briefing meetings.
06 The present document is produced by the officers' Steering Group and approved by the Scottish Ministers as a draft for consultation. It has not yet been considered by the City of Edinburgh Council or West Lothian Council as planning authorities. This will take place during the consultation period.