The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a strategy for the long-term development of Scotland's towns, cities and countryside. The NPF is about shaping Scotland's future and is concerned with how Scotland develops over the next 20 years and how to make that possible. The NPF identifies key strategic infrastructure needs to ensure that each part of the country can develop to its full potential.
National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) was published on June 25 2009. It sets the spatial strategy for Scotland's development to 2030, and designates 14 national developments of strategic importance to Scotland. The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 requires Scottish Ministers to prepare a national planning framework. It also requires planning authorities to take NPF2 into account in development plans and development management decisions.
NPF2 replaces the first NPF, which was published in 2004. In announcing the publication of the second National Planning Framework (NPF2), on June 25, 2009, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney said "NPF2 marks a further advance in spatial planning practice and will help to bring additional certainty for investors and planning practitioners in Scotland."
To ensure effective delivery, NPF2 is supported by a Action Programme setting out how and by whom the national developments and other key elements of the NPF strategy will be implemented.
NPF2 Monitoring Report
The Scottish Government has started work on the NPF2 Monitoring Report as part of its commitment to keeping the Framework under review. This will be published in shortly and will monitor the progress made in implementing NPF2. In doing so it will also consider the key drivers of change and emerging issues to inform future revision of the Framework.
Planning legislation requires Scottish Ministers to revise the NPF within 5 years of publication, or to publish an explanation of why they have decided not to revise it. The Monitoring Report will inform this process.
Current Action
Effective monitoring of NPF2 is fundamental to the delivery of the Framework. The NPF2 Monitoring Report will report on the progress made in delivering the strategy, helping to inform preparation of NPF3. Work is underway to gather evidence of progress made in implementing the development strategy and on identifying emerging issues which have arisen since the publication of NPF2.
Contact
Anne Grove
0131 244 5919
Further Information