Architecture and Design Scotland has announced the publication of the first part of their new resource package to help planning authorities take a place-based collaborative approach to new-style local development plan preparation.

The new resource package, Place Skills for Plan-Making, is designed to support authorities when preparing Local Development Plans.

The resource aims to help planning authorities apply ambitious new policy and guidance in National Planning Framework 4 and Local Development Planning Guidance, released earlier this year.

The learning provided in this resource has been tried and tested through pilot work with local authorities.


Planning authorities can expect to find basic placemaking principles, practical steps, templates and case studies to help collect evidence for their Local Development Plan preparations—from whole place to local area scale.

Heather Claridge, Director of Design of Architecture and Design Scotland and Chair of the Key Agencies Group said: "This new resource package will be a valuable tool for planning authorities in Scotland as they implement the new Local Development Planning Guidance and start to prepare their new style Local Development Plans.

"The resource provides clear guidance on how to gather evidence, gain involvement from other Council departments and stakeholders and includes a range of practical resources to support more collaborative working.

"It is our hope that this resource, plays a part in helping Scotland's planning authorities to design and deliver places that can improve the lives of their residents whilst realising the ambitions set out in National Planning Framework 4 and new guidance including climate action and biodiversity enhancements."