On the morning after Burns Night, I spoke at an online Scotland Policy Conference focusing on the future of Scottish planning policy. Now the relevancy of the planning system and the role of planners in Scotland will mean more to some members than others. For example, for our house builder members, planning has a huge bearing on where and whether they can build. For others who concentrate on repairs, maintenance and improvement projects for home owners, the planning regulations, whilst a relevant factor, aren’t in play to the same extent as the building or the CDM regulations.
Joining the FMB on the speakers platform were Tom Arthur MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth and Miles Briggs MSP from the Local Government Housing and Planning Committee. The online audience included planning officers and councillors, plus some Scottish developers.
Voicing the views of FMB members
I told delegates that the planning system is the most prominent barrier thwarting the ambitions of small and medium-sized (SME) house builders, as evidenced in the FMB member house builder surveys and feedback from Scotland Board members.
Small-scale housing developments with high quality energy efficient homes are delivered by FMB members in Scotland including, but not limited to, Malcolm Allan Housebuilders, DITT Construction and O'Mac Construction. However, there are also a lot less SME house builders in business than prior to the financial crisis. In Scotland, SME house builders build 2,000 fewer homes each year than they did before 2008.
So, can the planning system change this? Now access to affordable development finance, plus viable and available land, are other critical issues which are repelling new SME house builders from getting started. Within planning itself, there is the draft National Planning Framework 4, or NPF4 for short.
What is National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and why is this relevant?
NPF4 is a long-term, wide-ranging plan for Scotland that sets out where development and infrastructure is needed. It looks all the way to 2045 and will influence planning decisions across Scotland.
Within the draft NPFA there are aspirations, which if implemented, will help provide opportunities for SME house builders and indeed a wide range of local building companies.
The draft states, “we will create places with good-quality homes close to local facilities and services by applying the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods”. That may sound nice, but elsewhere within NPF4 it goes on to say that the strategy is to transform the way we use our land and buildings “so that every decision we make contributes to making Scotland a more sustainable place.”
Delivering on the plans for NFP4
Whether the plans are for environmental, social, or economic sustainability, locally based building companies who recruit and train apprentices are best placed to deliver on the ambitions of NPF4. This isn’t just about new build housing though. This is also about our existing homes and buildings. We will need suitably skilled and professional local building firms to upgrade Scotland’s housing stock to the highest levels of energy efficiency by 2045. We continue to campaign to reduce barriers and increase opportunities for SME house builders in Scotland to build more quality, sustainable homes, and access training to support their workforce.
To find out more, or to share your views on planning policy in Scotland, please get in touch.
Authors
Gordon Nelson
Director, Federation of Master Builders Scotland
