The changes to primary legislation in the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 form part of the wider package of modernisation set out in the White Paper Modernising the Planning System. The Act has been supplemented by a number of sets of Regulations coming into effect between April and August 2009. As they come into force they will result in the biggest change to planning in 60 years. A summary of the main changes relating to the submission and determination of applications is included in our Development Management Changes Guide.
Changes to legislation alone will not deliver planning reform. Positive changes to processes and behaviours are required of all the organisations and individuals that operate and interact with the system. To find out about 'cultural change', including a series of joint actions by the Scottish Government, local and national park authorities, agencies and the private sector to deliver a more effective and improved planning system, please refer to the Planning Modernisation| section of the Scottish Government website.
Guidance is available on: