The Local Development Plan (LDP) Support Programme has been developed in response to calls for additional support for planning authorities to progress their new style LDPs towards the May 2028 deadline.
The LDP Support Programme is being developed in a collaborative and flexible manner to ensure it can adapt to changing needs. It comprises several different activities that will mutually support one another including online discussion, facilitated action learning, matchmaking and mentoring and events similar to the LDP workshop held in April 2026. These activities will support the development of learning and support materials such as webinars, case studies, learning points, toolkits and templates etc.
If your authority has good practice materials or a learning experience that could support others, please complete this case study survey or email npi@improvementservice.org.uk.
In response to discussions at the LDP workshop held in April 2026, we have launched the LDP Support Network Teams group.
The group aims to:
- Provide a safe space to ask questions, start conversations and collaborate with peers on LDP preparation.
- Provide updates from the National Planning Hub on the work we are carrying out on the LDP Support Programme.
Membership is open to local authority planners, Scottish Government and key agencies acknowledging our shared ambition to progress LDPs.
Please email npi@improvementservice.org.uk if you would like to be added to the group.
We organise learning events to improve understanding, share good practice and discuss challenges and opportunities.
Upcoming LDP events
1. Being Examination Ready - Face to Face Training (24th June 2026)
At the National Planning Hub LDP workshop, DPEA announced the availability of training on the LDP examination process. The Being Examination Ready training will take place in person over a full day and will cover preparation for examination, including what being examination ready looks like, how to group representations, and completion of Schedule 3. Planning authorities at this stage in the process have been invited and we will hold future trainings on examination as subsequent authorities progress towards this stage.
2. Housing Need and Demand Assessment Guidance - Webinar (Date TBC)
We are in the process of organising a webinar with the Centre for Market Housing Analysis on the forthcoming Housing Need and Demand Assessment guidance.
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National Planning Improvement
The National Planning Improvement Champion is responsible for monitoring the performance of planning authorities and providing advice to them (and others) on what steps might be taken to improve their performance.
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Planning Skills
The Planning Skills Programme co-ordinates training events for public sector planning officers, with the aim to develop the skills required to deliver better places.
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Planning for Place
The Planning for Place Programme supports councils and their partners to collaborate around place, seeking to encourage place-based approaches to joint planning, resourcing and delivery of places that enable all communities to flourish.
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Shaping Places for Wellbeing
The programme aims to improve Scotland’s wellbeing and reduce inequalities through changing our collective approaches to the places where we live, work and play.