Applications are open for the Future Planners Bursary scheme to support the future pipeline of planners in Scotland. The £5000 bursaries are available to 30 students on an RTPI-accredited Planning Masters in Scotland for 2025/26 www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/ma...

The National Planning Improvement Team has published the findings of the 1st National Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey. It captures feedback from those with experience working with planning authorities across Scotland over the past year. www.improvementservice.org.uk/products-and...

New Fellow @craigmclaren.bsky.social is Scotland’s National Planning Improvement Champion at improvserv.bsky.social! Craig’s role involves monitoring the performance of planning authorities to provide advice about what should be improved and how. See the full list ➡️ acss.org.uk/news/the-aca...

My #songoftheweek is Take Me by Monobloc from their Monobloc EP, 2025 youtu.be/zDYE_TO1QYY?...

Latest planning application processing statistics were published by Scottish Government yesterday. Key headlines are that average decision making times for local planning applications was 11.9 weeks and 35.2 weeks for major planning applications. Full details 👇 www.gov.scot/publications...

Planning Application Statistics 2024/25 (April 2024 to September 2024)

These statistics set out an analysis of planning applications processed by Planning Authorities including the number, and type of applications and the decision times for applications.

gov.scot

My #songoftheweek is That’s Amazing Grace by All Seeing Dolls from their 2025 album Parallel youtu.be/YXHdw2CWKHk?...

ALL SEEING DOLLS (Dot Allison & Anton Newcombe) - That’s Amazing Grace

YouTube video by Jean De Oliveira

youtu.be

A Community Wealth Building Bill has been published. Aims to ensure that economic wealth is generated, circulated & retained in local communities. Proposes a Scottish community wealth building statement & local authority community wealth building action plans www.parliament.scot/bills-and-la...

The @rtpiplanners.bsky.social has launched its Awards for Research Excellence. Categories cover: ▪️ Academic Excellence ▪️ Wider Engagement ▪️ Early Career Research ▪️ Student Dissertation ▪️ Practitioner Research www.rtpi.org.uk/events-train...

A new National Planning Skills Commitment Plan has been launched by the Scottish Government to attract more people into the planning profession and build their skills. It is supported by 60 organisations, including @improvserv.bsky.social www.gov.scot/news/nationa...

National Planning Skills Commitment Plan

Focus on skills and recruitment.

gov.scot

The deadline for applications to the Scottish Government Future Planners graduate scheme is this Wednesday. The initiative is a fantastic opportunity to work across Scottish Government and undertake a post graduate planning degree www.jobs.gov.scot/future-plann...

Future Planners 2025 - Scottish Government Jobs

The Future Planners Programme is a unique graduate scheme for ambitious graduates, who are eager to step into the world of Planning.

jobs.gov.scot

Warmest congratulations @irenebeautyman.bsky.social ! A very well deserved accolade for someone who is constantly working to help people create better places....

Improvement Service@improvserv.bsky.social · 2y ago

Congratulations to @irenebeautyman.bsky.social, our Place & Wellbeing Partnership Lead, who has been named one of The Planner’s Women of Influence for 2025!

Just picked up on this useful advice note published by @rtpiplanners.bsky.social 'An introduction to Planning and AI' that provides helpful information for planners on the key concepts, technology, and tools related to Artificial Intelligence. www.rtpi.org.uk/practice-rtp...

An introduction to Planning and AI

As the tools and technologies available to planners become more complex and autonomous, their impact will inevitably increase.

rtpi.org.uk

My colleague @susanrintoul.bsky.social has written a very interesting think piece paper reflecting on the peer collaborative review aspects of the National Planning Improvement Framework looking at approach taken, feedback received and impact made www.improvementservice.org.uk/products-and...

My #songoftheweek is Lilac Sky by W H Lung from their 2024 album Every Inch of Earth Pulsates youtu.be/iPDgQn0_fUw?...

Lilac Sky

YouTube video by W. H. Lung - Topic

youtu.be

‘I aspire to be like water’: the exquisite buildings of Liu Jiakun, winner of architecture’s top prize www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

‘I aspire to be like water’: the exquisite buildings of Liu Jiakun, winner of architecture’s top prize

He turns steelworks into parks and makes ‘rebirth bricks’ from earthquake rubble. As the novelist, meditator and ‘accidental architect’ wins the Pritzker prize, we look at the masterful temples, caves...

theguardian.com

The first 4 case studies generated through the National Planning Improvement Framework have been published 🤝engagement in the Stirling LDP 🏘️Glasgow's use of the Place Standard ⚡Hagshaw Energy Cluster Development Framework 🐟Extension to MacDuff Aquarium www.improvementservice.org.uk/products-and...

My #songoftheweek is Indigo by Moloko, from their 2000 album Things to Make and Do youtu.be/5K7EVpxL3lI?...

Moloko - Indigo (Official Video)

YouTube video by Moloko

youtu.be

We have published, through the national planning hub, an insights report on the challenges involved in planning for hydrogen. A blog summarising this is at www.improvementservice.org.uk/insights/202... The full report can be read at www.improvementservice.org.uk/__data/asset...

Insights on planning for hydrogen

Craig McLaren discusses the challenges and opportunities in planning for hydrogen that have been identified through discussions with planning authorities, hydrogen industry, agencies and regulators.

improvementservice.org.uk

I am really pleased to see my latest Planning Positive column published on The Planner magazine's website. It says that it's time for planners to reclaim their role as civic heroes 👇 www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/02/26/w...

Whatever happened to the heroes?

It's time for planners to reclaim their role as civic heroes, says Craig McLaren.

theplanner.co.uk

🆕The Improvement Service is 20 years old! 🥳 Our Chief Executive Sarah Gadsden looks back at how the IS has grown over the last two decades, and the impact we have had on local government, in this new hashtag#blog lnkd.in/eTGXqnsd

It was really great to see Doves at SWG3 in Glasgow last night. Their tunes - old and new - are absolutely sublime.

The Climate Change Committee has set out a new pathway to a decarbonised UK by 2050. Recommendations include “planning, consenting, and regulatory funding, need to enable rapid deployment of low-carbon technologies” www.theccc.org.uk/2025/02/26/e...

​​End the fossil fuel age for a secure and prosperous future.​  - Climate Change Committee

Today the country’s climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), present a new pathway to a decarbonised UK.…

theccc.org.uk

Unauthorised environmental impact assessment development enforcement: consultation analysis has been published by the Scottish Government www.gov.scot/publications...

Unauthorised environmental impact assessment development enforcement: consultation analysis- summary

This publication is a summary of the responses received to a consultation looking at time limits for enforcement action for unauthorised Environmental Impact Assessment development.

gov.scot

Scottish Government has published its Draft Just Transition Plan for Transport for consultation. It looks to identify the key challenges and opportunities faced in making a just transition to a net zero transport system by 2045. www.transport.gov.scot/news/a-just-...

Scottish Government’s Planning and Regeneration Directorate has published guidance for candidates looking to apply for its Future Planners Programme 2025. There are 18 places available on the programme. www.gov.scot/publications...

Future Planners Programme 2025: candidate guide

Guidance for candidates applying to the 2025 Scottish Government Future Planners Programme.

gov.scot

My #songoftheweek is Man in The Corner Shop by The Jam, from their 1980 album Sound Affects youtu.be/VZ8yJ3gN5zI?...

The Jam - Man In The Corner Shop (On Screen Lyrics)

YouTube video by mjc64

youtu.be

The new Natural Environment Bill has been laid before Parliament. It aims to help restore nature and protect biodiversity, places a duty on Ministers to set legally-binding nature restoration targets, updates aims of National Parks and proposes changes how they are run www.gov.scot/news/restori...

Restoring Scotland’s natural environment

New targets to enhance nature and protect biodiversity.

gov.scot

The first cohort of the new National Planning Improvement Framework pilot is now complete and each of the 10 participating authorities’ Improvement Action Plan and Performance Assessment Report can be read on the Improvement Service website www.improvementservice.org.uk/products-and...

Useful and informative piece on how The Milton Keynes Planning Academy is having an impact on recruitment and development for the council. Some useful lessons for Scotland perhaps? www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/fe...

Building the future: The Milton Keynes Planning Academy's impact on recruitment and development

The Milton Keynes Planning Academy was launched to tackle significant challenges in the Planning Service, including issues with recruitment and staff retention.

rtpi.org.uk

Interesting piece from BBC Scotland on the appetite, complexity and potential benefits of public service reform www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Ministers open to 'radical' public sector reform, says Ivan McKee

The Scottish government is hosting a summit of councils, public bodies, third sector organisations and business figures.

bbc.co.uk