The National Planning Improvement Hub provides planning authorities with access to specialist expertise, supports them to upskill their staff and prepare their workforce for the future. It aims to build capacity and resilience and to improve consistency and efficiency in decision-making.
In the first instance the NPIH focuses on supporting planning authorities to plan for hydrogen projects. Hydrogen has been identified by industry as having great potential to support Scotland’s ambitions on net zero whilst there is a challenging consenting pipeline for hydrogen projects. Awareness of, and expertise in, planning for hydrogen is thought to be low amongst planning authorities and they would benefit from specialist expertise. Funding has been made available from Scottish Government net zero to pilot the hub concept through focusing on hydrogen. The delivery of the hub is being taken forward in partnership with Scottish Government and Planning Aid Scotland.
Programmes
The Access to Expertise programme works closely with planning authorities to help them obtain the skills and expertise that they need to work effectively and efficiently.
The Learning and Knowledge Exchange programme aims to support planning authorities and the organisations they work with to improve their understanding of priority issues they face.
You can read a series of FAQs on the Hub.
You can read a blog by National Planning Improvement Champion Craig McLaren.
Craig McLaren
National Planning Improvement Champion
Susan Rintoul
Improvement Lead
Contact the National Planning Improvement team on NPI@improvementservice.org.uk.
-
Access to Expertise Programme
The Access to Expertise programme works closely with planning authorities to help them obtain the skills and expertise that they need to work effectively and efficiently.
-
Learning Programme
The Learning and Knowledge Exchange programme aims to support planning authorities and the organisations they work with to improve their understanding of priority issues they face.