The preparation of the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4): Scotland 2045 has taken place over the past couple of years, with some inevitable delays caused by COVID-19.

A Draft NPF4: Scotland 2045 is now out for public consultation until 31st March 2022. It is currently proposed to adopt NPF4 in Summer 2022.

NPF4 will hold an enhanced status and be a formal part of the development plan which will incorporate the update to Scottish Planning Policy, resulting in spatial, thematic and national policies being addressed in one core document.

NPF4 states that the country must “embrace and deliver radical change” in order to tackle and adapt to climate change, restore biodiversity loss, improve health and wellbeing, create great places and build a wellbeing economy.

LUC has begun a detailed multi-disciplinary review of the draft document, and we have prepared high-level summaries of the Draft NPF4 which we will post over the next two weeks:

1. Scotland’s National Spatial Strategy Part 1;
2. Scotland’s National Spatial Strategy Part 2;
3. National Developments;
4. Proposed Policies – Sustainable Places;
5. Proposed Policies – Liveable Places;
6. Proposed Policies – Productive Places;
7. Proposed Policies – Distinctive Places; and
8. Spatial Strategy Delivery