06/12/23: Neighbourhoods - Low Emission, Low Traffic and 20-Minute.
Nick Marshall of Northfield and Willowbrae CC offers a quick summary of three core initiatives of the Council on 'neighbourhood design'.
This briefing is to provide clarification on various transport initiatives by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). Several members of the public have raised concerns with the Community Council about these initiatives, often based on misinformation found online. Rather than preparing a separate response for each person, this briefing will provide a basis for such responses.
Low Emission Zone (LEZ)
An LEZ (sometimes called a Clean Air Zone, CAZ) is an area in which the use of older or more polluting vehicles is limited or prohibited. CEC is introducing a LEZ, covering an area slightly larger than Edinburgh city centre to be fully active from 1 June 2024. It is currently in a testing phase. Other LEZs in Scotland are in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Unlike the London ULEZ, there are no permits. Vehicles considered more polluting (roughly pre-2015 (Euro 6) for diesel cars and pre-2013 (Euro 4) for petrol cars), are not allowed inside the LEZ perimeter, and owners/drivers are charged each time they drive into the zone. Central Edinburgh air is badly polluted, and councils are legally required to take action to reduce such pollution (mainly nitrogen oxides and particulates) which comes mostly from vehicle exhausts. The LEZ is an attempt to reduce this pollution. More information:
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN)
An LTN is an attempt to reduce traffic passing through a predominantly residential area, especially traffic which is seen as using residential streets to avoid busier main routes. Vehicular access is maintained to all properties in an LTN, though journeys within the LTN may take slightly longer. Filters may be put in place which only allow some traffic, e.g. buses or emergency services, to pass. It is these physical filters which discourage through traffic.
The aim of an LTN is to make residential areas safer and more comfortable to live, travel and spend time in. CEC is responding to Government policies to encourage Active Travel (i.e. walking and cycling) and to reduce private car use, to reduce pollution, reduce carbon emissions and address the obesity epidemic. CEC is introducing LTN trials in Leith and Corstorphine and may subsequently introduce them in other areas of the city. More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/13101/developing-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-for-communities-across-edinburgh
20 Minute Neighbourhoods (20MN)
20 Minute Neighbourhoods is a planning initiative across the UK to promote towns and cities where everyone can access all of their daily needs within a 20 minute walk, including shops, post office, doctor, dentist, library and other council services, social venues, greenspaces and jobs. This is very much how towns and cities used to be organised, before the advent of out-of-town shopping centres and long commutes.
With 20MNs, Local Development Plans prepared by the CEC encourage developers, businesses and service providers to set up local branches or small businesses to set up near to residential areas and in local centres rather than on distant industrial estates. Stories that 20MNs will restrict peoples’ movements are entirely unfounded - no one’s ability to travel for shopping, services or work if they wish to do so will be affected. CEC is currently trialling 20MNs in Craigmillar/Niddrie, Gorgie/Dalry and Portobello, but will also introduce them to other parts of the city in due course, and with public consultation.
More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/future-council/need-20-minute-neighbourhoods
Are all these initiatives linked?
The LEZ is aimed solely at reducing air pollution in the city centre. LTNs and 20MNs are separate initiatives brought into the Edinburgh 2030 Climate Strategy which aims to reduce carbon emissions and is the city’s response to the UN Paris Agreement, UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and the Scottish Government Climate Change Plan. CEC is therefore legally required to take action to (for instance) reduce private car use, increase Active Travel, insulate homes and other buildings, encourage businesses to be more energy efficient, reduce waste and create more low-carbon jobs.
More information: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15068/2030-climate-strategy
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06/12/23: Edinburgh’s next planning round: City Plan 2040.
CEC’s Planning Division have their heads down in earnest now, pushing to wrap up City Plan 2030 for adoption by mid-2024 and starting to shape the canvas for the one that comes next, City Plan 2040.
“Pie in the sky!”, I can hear, or worse. But that completely misses the point. A local economy needs to change and develop. The city needs to adapt and grow. Someone has to own the project. Better too early than too late.
So, as they say, ‘Fail to plan; plan to fail’. The Scottish Government has no intention of letting that happen. Local Authorities have their orders. The clock is ticking. Here’s a quick rundown on where things stand.
City Plan 2030 is the successor to the current Local Development Plan 2016. A local development plan carries a 10-year strategy along with policies and proposals to determine planning applications and an Action Plan to guide delivery.
City Plan 2030 was submitted to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) for formal examination in December 2022. This process is close to completion. A Report of Examination should be returned to the Council in Q1 2024. It will carry recommendations and may include proposed modifications. The Council will decide on adoption of the plan. It’s expected that will take place by mid-year.
The legislative framework for development planning has now changed with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. New procedures on the shaping and build of local development plans were announced by the Scottish Government in May 2023, along with new regulations and a change in the ‘planning style’ to be adopted. Every planning authority in Scotland is expected to have a new local development plan in place by May 2028. The over-arching National Planning Framework 4, which covers all of the country, stays in place for now. (It will also begin a journey of revision.) Other reference points include Regional Spatial Strategy and community-led Local Place Plans.
The new ‘style’ of City Plan 2040 will display three core characteristics. It will be:
‘Place-based’ – focused on illustrative local geographies; climate-crisis aware;
‘People-centred’ – prepared collaboratively through active public and community engagement;
‘Delivery-focused’ – targeted on achievable outcomes.
Notice that phrase ‘active public and community engagement’. City Plan 2040 is coming to you. At this very early stage of ‘Evidence Gathering’, you are being invited to say how you would like to be involved in, and to be kept informed about, the whole process. Here is the link to the survey that the Council has opened until 19 January 2024. Take the opportunity.
City Plan 2040 - Draft Participation Statement - City of Edinburgh Council - Citizen Space
The Evidence Gathering stage sits within the Development Plan Scheme (DPS) for City Plan 2040. The DPS is the ‘how to go about it’ framework. Work on the DPS will be accompanied by work on a draft Participation Statement, a summary of when and how the public and communities will be engaged over the course of the long planning programme. One aspect already in course is the live invitation for community groups to submit Local Place Plans to inform the planners’ early thinking.
As a community councillor, you are going to hear a lot about City Plan 2040. Community councils are there to serve their communities. Helping deliver that sought-for close engagement between the planners and the people is going to be a big item on their ‘to do’ list.
Here are some useful references:
Planning Edinburgh blog:
View the City Plan 2030 project webpage at:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cityplan2030
View the City Plan 2040 project webpage at:
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/local-development-plan-guidance-1/city-plan-2040
Sign up to the mailing list:
Questions about the content of the current local development plan:
Scottish Government Local Development Planning Guidance
Local development planning guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
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10/06/23: Scot Gov Consultation: Permitted Development Rights Review - Phase 3
Phase 3 Consultation opens 31 May 2023 until 23 Aug.
This third phase of the Permitted Development Rights (PDR) Review has a close focus on new and extended PDR for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment. The proposals (inter alia) would streamline the planning process for various zero and low carbon technologies, such as solar panels and heat pumps, and for certain flues.They also cover replacement windows for domestic and non-domestic properties.
There is a strong element of 'community relevance' here.
The full list of areas covered in the consultation is:
- Domestic renewables: solar panels; air, water and ground source heat pumps; wind turbines; and the removal of PDR for certain flues.
- Non-domestic renewables: solar panels; solar canopies in qualifying parking areas; and air, ground and water source heat pumps.
- Replacement windows for domestic and non-domestic properties.
- Electricity network infrastructure.
- Reverse vending machines.
- Temporary use of land for shooting ranges.
The consultation can be found here: Scot Gov PDR Phase 3 Consultation .
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07/06/23: Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming: Update Meeting
Event: 6 Jun 2023: Screen Meeting with CEC Public Spaces Team:
Update on Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming.
CEC Place set in motion the development of a Public Space Management Plan early in 2020, overseen by the Culture and Communities committee. Key Principles for the use of public open space for events and filming were set out in September 2021. Consultations continued over the course of 2022. An Update on the Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming was given to the Culture and Communities Committee in May 2023. Further work on the shape of the framework is taking place. A final report on the policy and associated guidance will be presented to Committee in October.
An update on the programme was offered to ‘stakeholders’ on 6 June. Joan Parr, CEC Service Director for Culture and Wellbeing chaired the session. The ‘scope’ of the overall programme has expanded appreciably, post-Covid, with a marked expansion of Filming Processes, for example. It was clear that the Public Spaces Team are under a good deal of pressure to wrap it up.
The essence of the programme is the distillation of 17 Key Principles (governing applications for, granting of, and conditions of approval) into the following four Key Policy Themes:
1. Process is transparent and accountable: Digital Platform to host all proposed and approved event information; open to the public.
2. Process and activities are proportionate: Event and Filming activities have to be 'proportionate' to their location and subject to 'area conditions'.
3. Activities must have a net positive effect: Measure across 'community wealth, cultural identity, reputation, quality of life or social value'.
4. Organisers will minimise their impact: Observing physical reinstatement; sustainability (net zero) principles; industry best-practice; stakeholder engagement.
Detailed ‘Guidelines’ to govern Policy ‘application’ remain ‘in the background’ (now somewhat lost from sight, in the opinion of one attendee, this after long gestation in past consultations with interested parties, including Community Councils.) They must be brought back into sharp focus.
From a Community Council perspective (principally Old Town, New Town and West End, but not exclusively), the points repeatedly made at this session covered:
Clearly inadequate pre-advice and consultation at present on ‘events and filming’;
Poor or no advance communication of dates and locations;
A lack of Council commitment to full financial transparency and reporting of the costs and benefits to the city of a now heavy (and growing) events and filming calendar.
For the moment, direct any queries to
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15/05/23: Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming: Update Report
15 May 2023: The CEC Placemaking Directorate has issued a short update report, presented to the Culture and Communities Committee on 11 May. It offers 'an indication of the future shape of the proposed policy and supporting guidance', this ahead of a final report scheduled for October. Here is the update link, (Any questions to
8.3 - Use of Public Spaces for Events and Filming_Final.pdf (edinburgh.gov.uk)
09/05/23: Planning Democracy: Community rights of appeal.
9 May 2023: Edinburgh City Council votes unanimously in favour of community rights of planning appeal.
Planning Democracy is celebrating the 4 May CEC decision to back community rights of planning appeal in a motion led by Cllr. Ross McKenzie.
Cllr. Cammy Day will now request of the Scottish Government's Planning Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, a review of the rights of appeal, along with a request for extension of the current time periods for the determination of applications in certain circumstances.
At the heart of the issue is a drive by Planning Democracy and other groups to ensure that the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 cements the right of communities to influence local planning authorities' development plans in the course of the preparation of their own local place plans. Access to a right of appeal, on a par with the facility presently open to developers as a matter of course, would dismantle the 'privileged position' developers enjoy in determining the shape of communities, it is argued.
There is more on this story here: http://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk .
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03/02/23: National Planning Framework 4
3 Feb 2023: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)
Planning Edinburgh published on 1 February guidance to the NPF4, approved by the Scottish Parliament on 11 January 2023.
NPF4 is ‘a spatial plan for Scotland to 2045’, setting out where development and infrastructure is needed. It rests on the vision of ‘Sustainable Places; Liveable Places; Productive Places’
Here is the link:
National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)
The adoption of NPF4 will mean that policies embodied in the city’s Local Development Plan 2016 (LDP 2016) must align with it; some current policies may require realignment.
A report to CEC Planning Committee (18 January 2023) gives the detail on this:
The CEC Planning Policy Framework for the Local Development Plan in a National Planning Framework context is set out here:
View our Policy Framework (PDF)
You can link to LDP 2016 here:
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Local Place Plans
4 Feb 2022: Local Place Plans – Local Place Plans offer communities the opportunity to develop proposals for their local area, expressing their aspirations and ambitions for future change. Legislation on the preparation, submission and registration of Local Place Plans came into force on 22 January. The Scottish Government has prepared a Circular to accompany the legislation - Planning circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Additional resources to support their development will be published shortly. You will be able to find these resources at www.ourplace.scot in the coming weeks.
OurPlace website – the OurPlace website was launched on 20 January. It includes information, tools and resources to help support the development of places and services that improve our health, our prosperity, our quality of life and protect our environment.
Consultations – community councils may be interested in three current consultations from the Scottish Government.
Draft National Planning Framework 4 - NPF4 will, when adopted, set out the Scottish Governments priorities and policies for the planning system up to 2045. Further resources are available at www.transformingplanning.scot.
Local Development Plan Regulations and Guidance - seeks views on the secondary legislative requirements and the draft guidance on implementing the future local development plan system.
Open Space Strategies and Play Sufficiency Assessments - there are new duties on planning authorities to prepare and publish an Open Space Strategy, and to assess the sufficiency of play opportunities in their area for children. Scottish Ministers have powers to prepare regulations and this consultation paper discusses the proposed provisions and seeks views on both sets of draft regulations.
The Government is inviting comments on the three consultations by 31 March 2022.
Sep 2021: Planning: Non-Material Variation Service
In April, CEC Planning launched a new Non-Material Variation Service as part of wider efforts to improve customer service and consistency across planning.
A Non-Material Variation (NMV) application is a proposal to change an approved development that will not significantly alter what was granted planning permission.
There is a new and streamlined way to apply for NMVs, and a new formalised Application Form and Customer Guidance for applying.
Almost 90 NMV applications since April & with this new service have been able to process them in a more efficient way.
NMV applications can also be paid for easily at any time using our secure online payment form on our website.
Please do not contact individual case officers with regards to NMVs as all queries and requests are being managed through the new process.
For further details, see this section of the planning web pages:
Mar 2018: Planning and Building Standards Performance and Service Improvements
23 Mar 2018: A report on Performance and Service Improvements was placed before the Planning Committee on 14 March 2018. This report had a number of recommendations, some of which were accepted by the committee, some which were deleted by the Committee and some which were amended by the Committee. The key changes related to the current Scheme of Delegation which allows officers to determine planning applications on the Committee’s behalf. Here’s what was agreed by the Planning Committee (but see below as they are not the final decision-maker):
Read more: Mar 2018: Planning and Building Standards Performance and Service Improvements
May 2016: Review of Scottish Planning Policy
Empowering planning - to deliver great places
An independent review of the Scottish planning system | May 2016
by: Crawford Beveridge, Petra Biberbach and John Hamilton
This document can be found HERE
Mar 2016: Place: Locality Improvement Programmes
Place or Community of Place is the new term reaching across Planning, Transport, Environment and Community Services, introduced in a 2014 / 15 reorganisation programme by CEC and the Edinburgh Partnership Board.
Below is the Locality Information for each area. The full 2015 Localities Presentation is HERE
North East | Locality Leadership Team members | |
North West | ||
South East |
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South West | ||
Dec 2015: Understanding the planning system
The community in general has only a limited understanding of the planning system and its operation and are often surprised at its rules and limitations.