The Scottish government has announced fresh measures to help planning authorities speed up approvals. The government will launch a new housing planning hub in early 2025 to increase the rate at which planning permission for homes is granted.
To increase the number of planners, the government has said it will triple the number of student bursaries available in 2025/26, from 10 to 30, to encourage more future planners and address staff shortages.
The housing planning hub will tackle the reasons for delays, which include waits on decisions for major developments, lengthy negotiations of section 75 agreements, funding issues, or policy requirements to address issues such as flooding or biodiversity.
It will help facilitate collaboration between officials and local authorities when there is mutual agreement on housing projects.
The Scottish government also said it will increase the number of planners by tripling the number of student bursaries available for postgraduate planning studies to encourage more future planners and address staff shortages.
