Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland has welcomed the creation of a new Planning Hub, which aims to support the work of local authorities, build skills and capacity, and leverage specialist expertise from outside the planning profession.

Dr Caroline Brown, Director of RTPI Scotland, said: “Whilst recent budget announcements from the Scottish Government raise concerns about the impact on funding for nature recovery, active travel, and climate action, we are really pleased to see a more positive announcement about the creation of a new Planning Hub. This is a very positive step, investing new resources into Scottish planning with the potential to bring in diverse expertise and drive innovation in the profession.

“The Sottish Government has taken great initiative in setting up a hub that will operate to support the work of local authorities, building skills and capacity by leveraging specialist expertise from outside the planning profession. In our consultation response earlier in the year, we voiced concerns that an initiative like this could create new bottlenecks in local authorities, and it is encouraging to see those concerns addressed in the architecture of the proposed Hub.

“The true benefits of the planning hub are likely only be visible over time. Sustained funding is necessary for its long-term viability, and it will need to expand beyond hydrogen to truly impact Scotland’s communities.”

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