Name: | Laura Robertson |
| Organisation: | Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan Team |
| Role / Daily Tasks: | Senior Planner |
Time in post: | 1 year |
| Past Experience: | My previous job was a Development Management planner with Aberdeenshire Council for 2.5 years. Before that I worked in the Aberdeenshire Local Plan Team for 4 years, which was my first job after graduating from the University of Dundee in 2001 |
August
How do you expect the role out of the new system to affect you?
The changes within the new planning system have created the Strategic Development Plan job I currently work in. These are interesting times to be involved in Strategic planning, where there is a level of creativity required to ensure the production of aspirational, streamlined, and usable documents.
It is important to keep up-to-date with the ongoing implementation of, and changes to, the planning system. I find the Scottish Government circulars very clear and easy to understand, while providing a sufficient level of guidance. It is important for me to know what is happening in planning as a whole, not just that which relates to my own job.
One of my biggest concerns with the new system is the risk that not everyone will embrace the culture change that is required. The changes are not purely within the legislation, and if they do not all occur; then the proposals will not be successful.
The new system provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of planning by making the processes more transparent through ensuring greater public consultation, involvement and ownership in the process. I believe making planning easier to understand for members of the public is extremely important.
Over the next 6 months, with the improvements in the planning system, it will be interesting to see what the new challenges will be for me, particularly with the significant changes in strategic planning.
October
What are the key changes you have experienced in the initial implementation of the modernised system?
For me the changes have not been as obvious or extreme as they have been for others, mainly owing to the relatively new nature of my job and the work. I hear murmurs from other planners that the changes are causing more work and some confusion but I think this is just the teething problems of a new system and these will iron themselves out over time.
In my job I have noticed a lot more phone calls and enquiries from members of the public than before. They have been asking questions about what the new strategic development plan is, how it differs from a structure plan and how this all fits together with the emerging local development plans for the area. I believe this is a result of culture change and the increased consultation already taking place; people now realise that they can have an input into what happens in their area. It is important to listen to these people and to be as approachable as possible.
We are all in this together so if we use each others experiences and support one another the new system will work effectively.
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