Raise awareness and promote the Developing with Nature guidance to support delivery of NPF4 policy 3c and develop user-friendly version of the guidance.
Objective 2: Protect nature on land and at sea, across and beyond Protected Areas
Priority Action 12. Champion new planning and development measures for protecting and enhancing biodiversity
Guidance on “Developing with Nature” has been produced to support implementation of NPF4 Policy 3(c), which requires development proposals to deliver positive effects for biodiversity.
The guidance sets out practical measures for integrating nature into development, including habitat creation, connectivity, SuDS design and biodiversity enhancement, and is intended to help applicants and planning authorities apply policy 3(c) in practice.
The guidance is well established and widely referenced in planning policy and professional practice, with earlier consultation material and technical development also published through CIEEM, which helped shape the final approach and structure of the guidance. However, while the guidance exists and is being promoted through planning networks, professional bodies and engagement activity, awareness and practical uptake remain inconsistent across Scotland’s planning authorities and the development sector. Some authorities are actively embedding it into decision-making and planning conditions, while others are still at an early stage of use or rely on broader NPF4 interpretation rather than detailed application of the guidance.
Efforts are underway to improve accessibility, including developing more user-friendly formats to support wider use by non-specialist users such as developers, consultants and smaller planning teams. Overall, the guidance provides a clear national framework for delivering biodiversity enhancements through development, but consistent implementation across all areas is not yet fully embedded.
“Developing with Nature” guidance supports delivery of biodiversity enhancement through development, including habitat creation, connectivity and nature-based solutions such as SuDS. NatureScot guidance shows that applying these measures can improve habitat quality and ecological connectivity within urban and developed landscapes. NPF4 Policy 3(c) requires development to deliver positive effects for biodiversity, meaning ecological outcomes depend on how consistently this guidance is applied in planning decisions. Overall, the guidance provides a clear mechanism to enhance biodiversity through development, but ecological benefits depend on consistent uptake across planning authorities.
NatureScot – Developing with Nature Guidance (NPF4 Policy 3(c))
Scottish Government – National Planning Framework 4
Develop and publish a biodiversity metric for Scotland’s planning system, to support delivery of NPF4 Policy 3b.
Support wider ongoing work on building skills and capacity on biodiversity and nature across the planning system, including through information sharing events.
Ensure that development provides positive effects for biodiversity, by developing clear guidance on the implementation and delivery of NPF4 policies which support the cross-cutting outcome ‘improving biodiversity’.
Develop and adopt a National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) that supports action on the twin crises, setting out planning policies on climate mitigation and adaptation, nature protection and enhancement, and sustainable use to guide decisions and activities in line with our ambitions for Scotland’s Seas.
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