Agenda item

Presentation by Chief Planning & Housing Officer.

4.1       By way of a slide presentation, Mr Aikman provided Members with an update on the National Planning Framework (NPF) 4 and Regional Spatial Strategies as related to Climate Change.  Mr Aikman explained that the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 had brought about a fundamental change to the planning system.  The NPF now incorporated Scottish Planning Policy and became part of the Development Plan.  Strategic Development Plans had been removed and Regional Spatial Strategies introduced.  There would also be 10 year Local Development Plans with the addition of Local Place Plans.  Within NPF4 there had been a reframing of Planning Policy on climate change which signalled a significant shift in the way we thought about planning and a move from a focus on ‘low carbon’ towards a more ambitious ‘net zero’ agenda.  There were four key themes: net zero emissions; resilient communities; wellbeing economy; and better, greener places.  The presentation went on to provide further details of where the focus would be within each theme.  The themes of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for South East and South Scotland were: efforts to address the global climate change emergency; deliver a greener economy; resilience to the effects of climate change; safeguarded and enhanced natural capital; and utilise transition assets and sustainable development opportunities. The draft NPF4 would be laid before Parliament in Autumn 2021 before going out for consultation and adoption in Spring 2022.

4.2       Members discussed the presentation and received further information in response to their questions.  A definition of ‘nature-based solutions’ was requested.  According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, ‘nature-based solutions’ were defined as ‘actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits’.   In terms of how NPF4 would link with Scottish Borders Council planning policy, Mr Aikman explained that at present there would be a transitional arrangement with the current Local Development Plan and NPF4 used as guidance.  However it was likely to have a strong influence on policy in the preparation of the next Local Development Plan. With regard to land use and the issue of large scale forestry plantations in the South of Scotland, to offset carbon, Mr Aikman noted opportunities to test approaches presented by a number of initiatives, including the Regional Land Use Partnership Pilot.  Indeed, the two-year South of Scotland Regional Land Use Partnership Pilot offered a very significant opportunity to examine a range of issues at landscape scale, helping communities, land owners and stakeholders work together to find ways to optimise land use in a fair and inclusive way and supporting Green Recovery and the journey to net zero.  It was proposed to prepare a Special Planning Guidance document (SPG) for approval by Council in the not too distant future, to encourage the planting of more sustainable woodland.  If the pilot was successful this could conceivably inform land use in other parts of Scotland.

DECISION

NOTED the presentation attached as an appendix to this minute.