Essential viewing for anyone involved in planning, development or environmental policy. The videos highlight a key problem in the planning system: too many decisions rely on deskbased reports while irreplaceable habitats are misunderstood or undervalued. www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/2026/learnin...

Learning About Ancient Woodland from the Trees Themselves

This week, developers including Cala Homes were successful in getting a court order to remove local people from the Hollybush woodland, where they have been camping out trying to protect an ancient…

planningdemocracy.org.uk

An excellent article @vickyallan.bsky.social highlighting the heartbreak felt by locals fighting to protect ancient woodland at Hollybush. Powerful journalism that gives a voice to people standing up for irreplaceable natural spaces. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2610995...

Tree protesters have been banned from housing development site - but are fighting on

Paisley protesters have been banned from land targeted for tree felling. But they've not given up their fight to save woodland

heraldscotland.com

Upcoming webinar on Freedom of Information Tools @aprscotland.bsky.social and @plandemoc.bsky.social are teaming up with @ercscot.bsky.social webinar 🔎 How ‘Freedom of Information’ can help your campaign Wednesday 25 February 2026 7-8.30pm Online event Sign up here aprs.scot/how-freedom-...

How 'Freedom of Information' can help your campaign - Action to Protect Rural Scotland

Wednesday 25 February 7-830pm online Freedom of Information is one tool in the box which you can use to help

aprs.scot

We were saddened to hear of the recent death of John Mayhew. As director of @aprscotland.bsky.social, John was hugely encouraging to Planning Democracy as we were being set up. His advice and support was invaluable - and ongoing. Our sympathies to his family. www.scotlink.org/john-mayhew-...

A highly commendable manifesto for important change Yes our #planning system - that has been reinforcing inequality & driving #environmental harm- must become a tool for tackling the nature & climate emergencies We need #FairerPlanning in #Scotland!

Planning Democracy@plandemoc.bsky.social · 12mo ago

Want to see a radical overhaul of Scotland's planning system? So do we! Join us at our manifesto launch event in Edinburgh on Thursday 27 November. More information here: www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/2025/we-have...

Want to see a radical overhaul of Scotland's planning system? So do we! Join us at our manifesto launch event in Edinburgh on Thursday 27 November. More information here: www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/2025/we-have...

We Have a New Plan and You are Invited

Its time for a radical overhaul of Scotland’s planning system, which currently fuels inequality, environmental harm, and excludes communities in favour of private profit. Over the past few months, …

planningdemocracy.org.uk

Would you like to join our team? We're looking for trustees at Planning Democracy. For more information, see our advert on Good Moves here, deadline 27 October: goodmoves.org/vacancy/a4sP...

Trustees with Planning Democracy – Goodmoves

We are looking for new trustees to join our board and the wider Planning Democracy team. If you are interested in democracy, justice, the environment or planning, please take a look at what we ...

goodmoves.org

That soggy patch of grass on a new housing estate? It might be a SuDS fighting floods & feeding hoverflies! Want to help make new housing greener and wilder? Join our webinar to learn how to push for nature-first development. #SuDS #UrbanNature #WildlifeFriendly www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/drainage-d...

Thanks to Clare for hosting, really good to get together yesterday. Lots of energy and enthusiasm for the year ahead.

Planning Democracy@plandemoc.bsky.social · last yr.

The weather may have been a bit damp but the PD team were not discouraged! Luckily we had a huge parachute to keep dry under. Great food, chat (not always about planning), walks and even a quiz at the annual social gathering.

The weather may have been a bit damp but the PD team were not discouraged! Luckily we had a huge parachute to keep dry under. Great food, chat (not always about planning), walks and even a quiz at the annual social gathering.

In Scotland, nature is struggling. But this year we have a huge chance to help it recover with the Natural Environment Bill. We need our leaders to know how much Scotland's nature matters! Declare your love for nature: www.scotlandlovesnature.scot/actnow www.youtube.com/shorts/PJdbt...

Declare your love for nature!

YouTube video by ScotLINK

youtube.com

Join us for an open discussion on how we can best mobilise in defence of environmental democracy. Excellent speakers and a guaranteed energising evening!

Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland @ercscot.bsky.social · 2y ago

How can we defend environmental democracy? Join our webinar on responding to the hostility towards people’s concerns about planning and the environment, with guest speakers Lesley Riddoch, Laurie McFarlane and Professor Malcolm Tait. 📆 7-8.30pm, 25/03 ➡️ environmentaldemocracy.eventbrite.co.uk

This week's publication of Scotland's Natural Environment Bill is a hopeful moment in the battle against the nature and climate crises. But much more is needed to win. Read our full response: www.scotlandlovesnature.scot/charities-we... #ScotlandLovesNature

Charities welcome Natural Environment Bill - Scotland Loves Nature

Environment charities have welcomed the publication this week of Scotland’s Natural Environment Bill, a crucial step in fighting the nature and climate crises.

scotlandlovesnature.scot

Campaigners in Invergordon have been fighting a housing development that is significantly contrary to the LDP yet being recommended for approval, despite impacting ancient woodland & veteran trees. Please support their fight for justice for nature www.sogs-highlands.co.uk @wtscotsocial.bsky.social

Communities have no right to appeal planning decisions even if it is flawed or environmentally destructive. The only way to challenge is through expensive legal action. This brave community have done this. Please donate to help them succeed www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-ri...

Save Riverside Park!

We are raising £5,000 to take legal action against Dundee City Council's decision to grant planning permission to a 10,000 sq ft training facility on our beloved greenspace by the river Tay.

crowdjustice.com

Still time to sign up!

Kat Jones@kat-jones.bsky.social · 2y ago

Our final webinar of the series with @plandemoc.bsky.social is happening this evening. This looks absolutely essential for all communities working on local planning issues!!!!

Nature & Planning Webinar Wed 5th Feb 7-8.30pm Planning Conditions & Enforcement How do they work for Nature? Speakers Kiera Chaman Oxford Uni Stuart Bence Nature Scot Ed Swales Enforcement Officer Cairngorms NP www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/planning-c... @aprscotland.bsky.social @scotlink.bsky.social

Planning Conditions and Enforcement

We will look at what planning conditions are, how they work and how they are enforced.

eventbrite.co.uk

On Wednesday evening we have the third in our series of webinars on Planning and Biodiversity with @plandemoc.bsky.social There's still space so register here! 👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nature-net...

Nature Networks, LDPs and planning decisions

The NPF4 mentions the importance of Nature Networks in the Green Belts Policy and the Biodiversity Policy but what does this mean ...

eventbrite.co.uk

Job Opportunity: An ESRC-funded research project with Sheffield University that asks 'are new planning policies to protect biodiversity improving outcomes for biodiversity on the ground?' jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research... jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...

Great to have our article on how well National Planning Framework 4's nature policies are working on the ground featured in Scottish Planner magazine. www.rtpi.org.uk/media/19012/...

Useful guidance about responding to a planning application from @plandemoc.bsky.social www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/wp-content/u...

It was another great webinar this evening from @aprscotland.bsky.social and @plandemoc.bsky.social on Wildlife Recording and Planning. Absolutely great. Sign up for the next one in the series on 15 Jan here. aprs.scot/event/joint-...

APRS Webinars

We teamed up with Planning Democracy to run a series of Webinars.

aprs.scot

Thank you to all our speakers at last night's Winter Webinar with @plandemoc.bsky.social Hear about first-hand experience of citizen science. The webinar is now available to re-watch, with supporting resources 👇 +🎟️ Free places available on future webinars

APRS Webinars

We teamed up with Planning Democracy to run a series of Webinars.

aprs.scot

Planning Democracy is on Bluesky! A brilliant grassroots organisation working on systemic democratic deficits, inequalities and environmental justice in land use planning in Scotland

Planning Democracy@plandemoc.bsky.social · 2y ago

We've just joined Bluesky! What do we do? Find out by reading this wonderful blog by Kate from Cumbernauld & Carbrain Community Hub. It's about a workshop on planning rights we ran with our partners @aprscotland.bsky.social, with support from the Corra Foundation. www.corra.scot/planning-rig...

A great listen with lots of information about a much loved mammal that is in decline. Includes hedgehog highways and why its important to make holes in fences and walls so hedgehogs can forage for food and find mates!

Zoe Broughton@camerazoe.bsky.social · 2y ago

About to listen to @hedgehoghugh.bsky.social and @robinince.bsky.social on Radio 4 talking about #hedgehogs

Next Wednesday 4th Dec at 7pm we are running a webinar with @aprscotland.bsky.social colleagues. We have 3 great speakers explaining how to record different species from trees to fungi, why this is so important and how this helps to protect nature from developments. Sign up now! bit.ly/3VeCZvB

Biodiversity and new development - Recording what is in our areas.

Building an understanding of what nature there is in different areas and and communities.

bit.ly

We've just joined Bluesky! What do we do? Find out by reading this wonderful blog by Kate from Cumbernauld & Carbrain Community Hub. It's about a workshop on planning rights we ran with our partners @aprscotland.bsky.social, with support from the Corra Foundation. www.corra.scot/planning-rig...

Planning Rights Workshop at C&C Community Hub

Kate of C&C Community Hub in Cumbernauld writes about the importance of planning rights for communities when it comes to local development.

corra.scot