In this update, the National Planning Improvement team provides an overview of the recent work delivered through the National Planning Hub and the National Planning Improvement Framework.
A key priority within the National Planning Hub’s 2026 work programme is to provide support to planning authorities as they progress their new-style Local Development Plans (LDPs) through the LDP Support Programme. As we complete the first quarter of the LDP Support Programme, this blog reflects on the progress made so far and highlights the support delivered to date.
The National Planning Hub supports planning authorities to accelerate decision-making and development delivery by providing direct additional resources and professional development support. It is led by Scottish Government working in partnership with the Improvement Service.
Visit the National Planning Hub.
Guidance has been published for the National Planning Improvement Framework. It sets out the process for the NPIF, providing context and background on the pilot, and how the NPIF was developed. It details the process undertaken for the full assessment of NPIF, then goes into details on how planning authorities provide updates on their progress with their improvement actions.
A think piece has been published detailing the process for the second year of the National Planning Improvement Framework. Drawing on feedback from 20 planning authorities, it explores how the year two process focused on monitoring progress against improvement actions rather than undertaking a full assessment. It shares insights on the introduction of a standardised, survey-based reporting approach, the use of automated report generation, feedback from planning authorities, and the value of the National Planning Improvement team's ‘critical friend’ role in supporting continuous improvement across Scotland's planning services.