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Topic: Plan outcomes

Engagement version June 2024

Requirements addressed in this section

Table 1 Information required by the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended, regarding the issue addressed in this section.

Section	Requirement
Section 3ZA(1)	The purpose of planning is to manage the development and use of land in the long-term public interest.
Section 3ZA(2)	Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), anything which contributes to sustainable development, or achieves the national outcomes (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015), is to be considered as being in the long-term public interest.
Section 4ZB(2)	In exercising their functions of preparing, revising or amending a local development plan, a planning authority must have regard to their adopted regional spatial strategy.
Section 264A	In the exercise, with respect to any land in a National Park, of any power under the planning Acts, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of exercising the power consistently with the adopted National Park Plan.

Links to evidence

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/8/contents
National Park (Scotland) Act 2000 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2000/10/contents
Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/13/contents/enacted

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Town and Country Planning (Grounds for Declining to Follow Recommendations) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2009/53/contents/made
National Performance Framework https://nationalperformance.gov.scot/
National Planning Framework 4 https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/LibraryDocument.aspx?id=2094
Local development planning guidance https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2023/05/local-development-planning-guidance/documents/local-development-planning-guidance/local-development-planning-guidance/govscot:document/local-development-planning-guidance.pdf
Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022 https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/LibraryDocument.aspx?id=2147
Community Action Plans https://cairngorms.co.uk/working-together/publications/publication/496/

Summary of evidence

Local development plans are required to focus on the outcomes that they deliver for people and places. This includes contributing to sustainable development, and the achievement of the National Performance Framework National Outcomes. As part of a plan-led approach they are also central to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They must also take account of National Planning Framework 4, the adopted Regional Spatial Strategy, any local outcome improvement plans, and any registered local place plans for the area they cover.

Strategic direction within the National Park is also provided by the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022, which is the adopted national park plan as defined by the National Park (Scotland) Act 2000. The Partnership Plan sets out the vision and over-arching strategy for managing the National Park, as well as identifying outcomes, priorities for action and an overall strategic policy framework. Furthermore, the Partnership Plan acts as the Regional Spatial Strategy for the National Park, which is intended to address strategic development and issues.

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The National Park (Scotland) Act 2000 states that a National Park authority must, in exercising functions so far as affecting a National Park, have regard to the adopted national park plan. This is supported in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 which states that in the exercise, with respect to any land in a National Park, of any power under the planning acts, special attention shall be paid to the desirability of exercising the power consistently with the adopted national park plan. These functions and powers include the preparation, adoption, and implementation of its local development plan. More specifically, Scottish Government’s local development planning guidance (paragraph 149) states that local development plans for National Parks should look to align with the adopted national park plan¹. The Partnership Plan therefore provides the strategic context for the Local Development Plan.

The outcomes for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan will therefore be those of the National Park Partnership Plan, which represent the local expression of international and national outcomes and priorities.

This section of the Evidence Report provides information on the various tiers of international, national, and local policy that influence the local development plan, with a focus on the overarching strategic and outcome-based goals and requirements. These are considered in more detail in the topic specific sections of the Evidence Report.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These are to:

End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

¹ Inconsistency with any adopted national park plan is also one of the circumstances where a planning authority may decline to follow a recommendation within an examination report on a proposed plan according to the Town and Country Planning (Grounds for Declining to Follow Recommendations) (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

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Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

In Scotland, these outcomes are delivered through the National Performance Framework.

National Performance Framework

The National Performance Framework sets out Scottish Government’s aims for the whole of Scotland to:

Create a more successful country.
Give opportunities to all people living in Scotland.
increase the wellbeing of people living in Scotland.
Create sustainable and inclusive growth.
Reduce inequalities and give equal importance to economic, environmental, and social progress.

To help achieve this, the framework sets out 15 National Outcomes that the public sector must collectively deliver (Figure 1). These outcomes are that people:

Grow up loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential.
Live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe.
Are creative and their vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely.

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Have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive, and sustainable economy.
Are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society.
Value, enjoy, protect, and enhance their environment.
Have thriving and innovative businesses, with quality jobs and fair work for everyone.
Are healthy and active.
Respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination.
Are open, connected and make a positive contribution internationally.
Tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth, and power more equally.

These outcomes are directly linked to Scottish Government’s response to addressing the United Nations Sustainable Goals and are Scotland’s way to localise those goals.

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National Planning Framework 4

National Planning Framework 4 is the national spatial strategy for Scotland. It sets out Scotland’s spatial principles, regional priorities, national developments, and national planning policy. It will play a key role in delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as Scotland’s national outcomes. National Planning Framework 4 is part of the statutory development plan (Figure 2). This means that for any place in Scotland, the statutory development plan consists of National Planning Framework 4, which covers the whole country, and the Local Development Plan for the planning authority area where the place is.

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Figure 2 The Scottish Statutory Development Plan as it applies in the Cairngorms National Park.

National Planning Framework 4 sets out six overarching spatial principles on which to plan the future:

Just transition. We will empower people to shape their places and ensure the transition to net zero is fair and inclusive.
Conserving and recycling assets. We will make productive use of existing buildings, places, infrastructure, and services, locking in carbon, minimising waste, and building a circular economy.
Local living. We will support local liveability and improve community health and wellbeing by ensuring people can easily access services, greenspace, learning, work, and leisure locally.
Compact urban growth. We will limit urban expansion so we can optimise the use of land to provide services and resources, including carbon storage, flood risk management, blue and green infrastructure, and biodiversity.
Rebalanced development. We will target development to create opportunities for communities and investment in areas of past decline and manage development sustainably in areas of high demand.
Rural revitalisation. We will encourage sustainable development in rural areas, recognising the need to grow and support urban and rural communities together.

These principles will play a key role in delivering on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Scotland’s national outcomes.

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Scottish Government want Scotland’s future places to work for everyone. Therefore, rather than compromise or trade-offs between environmental, social, and economic objectives, National Planning Framework 4 is intended to be an integrated strategy to bring together cross-cutting priorities and achieve sustainable development. Therefore, by applying the spatial principles National Planning Framework 4 will support the planning and delivery of:

Sustainable places, where we reduce emissions, restore, and better connect biodiversity.
Liveable places, where we can all live better, healthier lives.
Productive places, where we have a greener, fairer, and more inclusive wellbeing economy.

It is intended that National Planning Framework 4’s national spatial strategy will be taken forward in different ways across Scotland, reflecting the diverse character, assets, and challenges of its places. To guide this, National Planning Framework 4 has identified regional spatial priorities for five broad regions of Scotland which will inform the preparation of regional spatial strategies and local development plans by planning authorities.

The regional spatial priorities also include eighteen national developments to support the national spatial strategy, including single large-scale projects and networks of several smaller scale proposals that are collectively nationally significant. National developments will be a focus for delivery, as well as exemplars of the Place Principle, placemaking and a Community Wealth Building approach to economic development. National Planning Framework 4 states that regional spatial strategies and local development plans should identify and support national developments which are relevant to their areas.

The Cairngorms National Park sits within the North region (Figure 3). It is described as ‘a national asset with internationally significant habitats and landscapes’ and that it ‘…is bringing together conservation, the visitor experience and rural development to provide benefits that extend well beyond the park boundary’.

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Figure 3 Strategic diagram for the north region from National Planning Framework 4 (page 27).

The region’s spatial properties highlight the strong contribution the area can make towards meeting Scottish Government’s ambition for a net zero and nature positive country by demonstrating how natural assets can be managed and used to secure a more sustainable future. These are:

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To deliver sustainable places, Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Plans in this area should protect environmental assets and stimulate investment in natural and engineered solutions to climate change and nature restoration, whilst decarbonising transport and building resilient connections.
To deliver liveable places, Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Plans in this area should maintain and help to grow the population by taking a positive approach to rural development that strengthens networks of communities.
To deliver productive places, Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Plans in this area should support local economic development by making sustainable use of the area’s world-class environmental assets to innovate and lead greener growth.

National Framework 4 states that the following national developments will also support delivery of the spatial strategy for this area:

Pumped Hydro Storage
Strategic Renewable Electricity Generation and Transmission Infrastructure
Circular Economy Material Management Facilities
National Walking, Cycling and Wheeling Network
Digital Fibre Network

Further detail about the priorities for the area is contained in Annex C, while further details of national developments are contained in Annex B, of National Planning Framework 4.

National Park aims

The National Park has four distinct aims as set out in The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000):

To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area.
To promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area.
To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public.
To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

These aims are to be pursued collectively. However, if there is conflict between the first aim and any of the others, greater weight is given to the first aim (as set out in Section 9(6) of the 2000 Act). This helps ensure conservation of the natural and cultural heritage underpins the economic, social and recreation value of the Cairngorms National Park.

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This approach is embedded in the National Park Partnership Plan and all other decision-making tools, including the Local Development Plan, adopted by the Park Authority.

Note, as part of Scottish Government’s commitment to establish at least one new National Park by spring 2026, a review and consultation on the purpose of National parks has been undertaken. This may result in an amendment to the 2000 Act and the National Park aims. Any changes that occur during the preparation of the local development plan will need to be taken into account.

Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022

The National Park Partnership Plan 2022 is the overarching management plan for the Cairngorms National Park and was approved by Scottish Ministers and adopted in August 2022. It sets out the vision and over-arching strategy for managing the National Park, as well as identifying outcomes, priorities for action and an overall strategic policy framework. The Partnership Plan’s long-term vision, is:

‘An outstanding National Park, enjoyed and valued by everyone, where nature and people thrive together.’

This vision is to be delivered through the Partnership Plan’s three overarching outcomes to be achieved by 2045 (the year Scottish Government has committed to achieving net zero):

Outcome for Nature – A carbon negative and biodiversity rich National Park with better functioning, better connected and more resilient ecosystems.
Outcome for People – A wellbeing economy that works for all the people of the Cairngorms.
Outcome for Place – A place that people want to live in, work in and visit that works for all.

The outcome for nature aims to create a national park where:

Moorland is more diverse – moorland is more structurally diverse, providing a greater range of habitats for plants, insects, birds, and mammals, and supporting a thriving rural economy.
Peatlands are restored – thousands of hectares of peatland have been restored, trapping CO2, aiding species recovery, improving water quality and reducing flooding risk.
Species are recovering – species are recovering within a network of connected habitats and are less reliant on targeted conservation activity.

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Woodland is expanding – woodlands are larger and more natural, delivering benefits for biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality and flood mitigation.
Rivers are reconnected – rivers have been restored and reconnected to create thriving wetlands and floodplains, helping mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Farming is carbon neutral – farming is carbon neutral or carbon negative, helping combat climate change, enhance species diversity, and provide a sustainable source of food.

The outcome for people aims to create a national park where:

Communities are empowered – residents are more involved in the way land is managed, with the number of community-owned or managed assets and social enterprises increasing.
Green jobs are growing – there has been a significant increase in the number of green jobs, with skills and training opportunities available for people to meet the growing demand.
Volunteering is on the rise – hundreds of volunteers are helping look after the landscape of the National Park, bringing benefits for nature and for their own health and wellbeing.
Wellbeing comes first – communities are healthier, happier, and more resilient, benefiting from a diverse local economy that puts wellbeing and the environment first.
The Cairngorms is a Park for All – the Cairngorms is a true ‘Park for All’, welcoming and supporting people from more diverse backgrounds to live, work and visit here.
Young people stay and thrive – the proportion of young and working-age people has stabilised and begun to increase, supporting thriving communities and a robust economy.

The outcome for place aims to create a national park where:

Housing is more affordable more people have access to affordable housing in the National Park and the proportion of second homes, vacant properties and holiday lets has decreased.
Communities are connected – communities across the National Park are better connected by a network of fully accessible paths and cycle routes, improving people’s health and wellbeing.
Cultural heritage is celebrated – the area’s rich cultural heritage is cared for and celebrated in communities across the Cairngorms, from events and interpretation to storytelling and music.

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Transport is more sustainable – people increasingly choose to leave their car at home, with residents and visitors being more active and making regular use of low and zero carbon transport.
Visitor facilities are first class – visitors choose to stay longer and travel at different times of year, supported by improved infrastructure and high-quality ranger services.

These outcomes are supported by a series of long-term objectives and key targets or indicators of progress. Each of these targets is supported by a set of actions and policies for the five years between 2022 – 2027.

The Partnership Plan is also the National Park’s:

Economic Strategy
Capital Investment Strategy
Sustainable Tourism Strategy
Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional Land Use Framework
Climate Action Plan

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The Partnership Plan provides strategic direction for a number of Park Authority plans and strategies, including the Local Development Plan (Figure 5). This includes a spatial strategy, which identifies strategic developments and a settlement hierarchy (Figure 4). The Local Development Plan will therefore need to align with the Partnership Plan. The outcomes for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan are therefore those of the National Park Partnership Plan.

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Figure 5 Hierarchy of Park Authority plans as set out in the National Park Partnership Plan 2022.

Local place plans

Local place plans were introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, which contains a new right for communities to produce their own plans as part of the new Scottish

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planning system. Local place plans contain a community’s proposals for the development and use of land and provide a new opportunity for communities to feed into the planning system with ideas and proposals.

Local place plans are community-led setting out proposals for the development and use of land. They must have regard to National Planning Framework 4, any local development plan which covers the same area, and any locality plan which covers the same area. Within the National Park, they will also need to align with the National Park Partnership Plan. Local place plans are not part of the statutory development plan but have an important role to play in informing local development plans (Figure 2).

The Park authority has a duty to maintain a register of all validated local place plans. There are currently no validated local place plans within the National Park.

Details on how the Park Authority invited local communities to prepare local place plans, and what assistance they have provided, is set out within the stakeholder involvement section of the Evidence Report.

Community Action Plans

Community action planning is a process through which communities have the opportunity to identify their own priorities and tackle the issues which are important to them. Since 2008, 18 communities in the National Park have produced a Community Action Plan. These are reviewed on a 5 yearly basis with the support of the local Community Development Organisation. These are:

Advie & Cromdale
Aviemore
Ballater & Crathie
Blair Atholl
Boat-of-Garten
Braemar
Carrbridge
Dalwhinnie
Dulnain Bridge
Glenshee & Mount Blair
Grantown-on-Spey
Kincraig
Kingussie
Laggan

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Nethy Bridge
Newtonmore
Strathdon

Like local place plans, community action plans are not part of the statutory development plan. However, where action plans identify priorities with a spatial dimension, for example priorities relating to housing, public facilities, business growth, use of land or buildings, roads, flooding, energy, recreation, paths, and other infrastructure which impact on people, the local development plan will look to take them into account in its preparation.

Community action plans in the Cairngorms National Park can be viewed on the Park Authority’s website:

https://cairngorms.co.uk/working-together/publications/publication/496/

Summary of implications for proposed plan

The proposed plan needs to be prepared in accordance with:

The four aims of the National Park as set out in The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000).
The spatial strategy and principles of National Planning Framework 4.

In its preparation the proposed plan will take account of any:

Validated local place plans.
Published community action plans.

The proposed plan’s spatial strategy and policies will need to be contribute towards delivering:

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The National Performance Framework’s 15 National Outcomes.
National Planning Framework 4’s priorities for the North region.

The proposed plan needs to align with National Park Partnership Plan and should adopt its three overarching outcomes for nature, people, and place.

Plan outcomes - engagement version

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