Scottish Government

August

How do you expect the role out of the new system to affect you?

I'm expecting that many of the changes caused by the roll out of the new system will be gradual in their impact on my day -to-day work. However, some changes introduced by the 2006 Act have already had a direct impact. For instance, I have been involved in a pilot scheme to remove the duty of planning authorities to notify Historic Scotland of certain types of listed building consent application; this initiative, which intends to avoid double handling and speed up the consent process, was made possible by legislative changes contained within the 2006 Act. We are currently consulting on the findings of the pilot.

In terms of learning about the aims and implications of the new system, the Scottish Government planning reform and modernisation web pages have been particularly useful in providing overviews and links to more detailed guidance, information, and the relevant legislation. I've also benefitted from in-house training on planning modernisation and the ways in which it might impact on our work within Historic Scotland.

My biggest uncertainty is how planning authorities might resolve potential discrepancies between the decision made by local review panels on planning permission appeals, and the decision made by a Reporter on a listed building consent appeal for the same proposals.

I think the new planning system offers great opportunities for more appropriate and timely consultation with Historic Scotland, ensuring that we are able to use our expertise where and when it is most effective. This will provide an optimum opportunity for us to help find solutions to any problems that particular proposals may present at the earliest possible stage. The joint working agreement, which Historic Scotland has recently invited all planning authorities to sign up to, builds on and strengthens this aim of ensuring that consultation is focused and well timed.

October

What are the key changes you have experienced in the initial implementation of the modernised system?

As I had expected, changes triggered by the new system have not, in the main, yet filtered through to affect my day to day work significantly, with the exception of the new Development Plan process. I recently contributed to Historic Scotland's response to the Main Issues Report for the new Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan. This was the first Main Issues Report Historic Scotland had been consulted on, and it gave us the opportunity to see how the new process worked in practice and to confirm that our preparation process had been effective.

The main changes I noticed are the emphasis on a quicker response, with the consultation timescale being notably reduced, and the opportunity for us to give advice earlier in the process when it can be used most effectively. In terms of the way I work, it is clear that the new process will require me to place increased focus on forward planning to ensure that the shorter consultation periods can be integrated into the rest of my work schedule.

The concept of early, effective involvement, which is a feature of the new Development Plan process, also underpins the general modernisation process which Historic Scotland's Inspectorate has introduced in recent years. This improvement programme shares the aims of the wider planning system modernisation to achieve changes in culture and behaviour in terms of proportionate involvement and advice, pro-activity and appropriate partnership working, at both corporate and officer level.

December

Because the majority of my day-to-day work involves casework under legislation which has largely been unaffected directly by the introduction of the new development management regime, I don't yet feel I have had enough direct involvement in the new system to take a view on whether it is more co-operative and faster than the old one. However, as the system continues to bed in, I predict that changes will become more noticeable, particularly in terms of the speed at which applications and plans are processed.

I expect that the emphasis which the new system places on early involvement and consultation on planning applications has the potential for knock-on effects on the way in which we are involved in providing advice on parallel listed building and conservation area consent applications. This may mean that we need to adapt our current practices regarding consultation to better reflect the demands of the new system, including reassessing the way in which we deal with direct approaches for specific advice from applicants, rather than the planning authority.

Within Historic Scotland, caseworkers have benefited from CPD sessions which are focussed on the changes that the new Development Management Regime will bring, but there is still work to be done to develop our procedures and culture change to reflect the new system. Continued internal dialogue, and ensuring that experience of the new practices is shared among colleagues will be important in this process. Outwith the Agency, initiatives such as this series of articles have been helpful in giving insight into experiences of the new system from the perspective of differing stakeholders. I feel that as well as ensuring that there is easy access to clear, current information about the regime itself, the provision of continued opportunities for all those involved to share experience and views on the new system will be a valuable source of support.