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...

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

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...

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...

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

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...

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?...

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

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?...

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...

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...

🆕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...

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

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...

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

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...

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...

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

Scottish Storytelling Centre remembers the legacy of social thinker Patrick Geddes:

Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, outlines approaches to public service reform and efficiences in @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/politics/hol...

My #songoftheweek is Up On The Ride by Guillemots, from their 2012 album Hello Land! youtu.be/giSuXoc5ZMo?...

The analysis of the recent National Flood Resilience Strategy consultation has been published. A key finding is that there is broad support for the shift in emphasis from ‘fixing flooding problems’ to creating flood resilient places. www.gov.scot/publications...

New report from @ippr.bsky.social on English planning system says that rather than succumbing to the ‘builders v blockers’ debate, there is a need to strengthening the planning system to support house building & nature and to build necessary infrastructure ⬇️ www.ippr.org/articles/str...

Peter Perrett was fantastic at King Tuts last night. A remarkably strong repertoire covering his solo albums and The Only Ones. Still going strong and long may it continue…

The Scottish Government has published the Planning, Infrastructure and Place Advisory Group Annual Report 2024. PIPAG aims to supprt the delivery of the National Planning Framework www.gov.scot/publications...

Why the ‘15-minute city’ is not a neighbourhood menace - Financial Times www.ft.com/content/baa6...

The Improvement Service is delighted to join Bluesky! If you want to find out more about the work we do to support #LocalGovernment improvement in #Scotland, please visit our website where you can find our latest news, blogs, upcoming events and recent publications. www.improvementservice.org.uk

Land acquisition by public bodies has a stronger role to play to address Scotland’s rural housing crisis, according to a new report issued by the @scottishlandcom.bsky.social www.landcommission.gov.scot/news-events/...

A couple of photos of some modernist architectural gems from my weekend visit to #cumbernauld: St Mungo’s church and Cumbernauld College

Interesting piece on the narrative being used by the UK government on planning reform in England

As a planner who was brought up in #cumbernauld, I’m very much looking forward to getting stuck into this cracking book I’ve just received as an early birthday present from a good friend #planning #architecture #concretedreams

Scottish minister and chief planner highlight reasons for stalled homes - The Planner www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/02/06/s...

My #songoftheweek is ‘i’m in love…’ by Andy Bell, Dot Allison and Michael Rother from the forthcoming album pinball wanderer youtu.be/EW9czxT_8Tg?...

Bookings are now open for the Scottish Young Planners' Conference 2025 which will explore "The Purpose of Planning" on 1 May. Speakers to include RTPI President Helen Fadipe, RTPI Scotland Convenor Laura Robertson and Minister for Public Finance Ivan McKee MSP www.rtpi.org.uk/events/2025/...

The Scottish Parliament's Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee are asking for views on progress being made on the fourth National Planning Framework yourviews.parliament.scot/lghp/fourth-...

Scotland has vast renewable energy resources, and the talent and innovation to harness them. I saw this in action at the world-leading H100 project in Methil, Fife - where hundreds of homes are switching from gas to green hydrogen for zero-carbon heating. Here’s how 👇

Really interesting video introducing @lgiu.bsky.social's Future Local Lab with inputs from the UK, Australia and New Zealand on what the future will hold for local government and its relationship with communities and residents. youtu.be/qaaOkXGY2ic?...

A new online mentoring platform that will provide general career development and support to members has been launched by @rtpiplanners.bsky.social 👇 www.rtpi.org.uk/careerdevelo...