The Improvement Service Spatial Information Service has published a new step-by-step technical guide on mapping and analysin 20-minute neighbourhood in Scotland. The guidance is designed to support planners, geospatial analysts, and local authorities in assessing and promoting sustainable, accessible communities.
The guide draws on best practices from across Scotland, including innovative methods developed and applied by Highland Council. It provides a detailed, step-by-step approach to conducting a 20-minute neighbourhood network analysis using ArcGIS Pro.
Key features of the guidance include:
- Links to relevant data sources to help you get started
- Practical advice on conducting network analyses
- Recommendations for producing meaningful and actionable analytical outputs
- A framework for assessing access to a diverse range of facilities and services in an integrated and holistic way.
The primary aim of this guidance is to support planning authorities in meeting the local living requirements of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) by offering a robust starting point for data and methods that can be tailored to local contexts.
The Improvement Service is also hosting a webinar to introduce the guidance at 2pm on 15 May. This session is open to anyone working in planning, spatial analysis, or community development. We do ask if attendees can sign up with their organisations email address.