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Consultations
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006: Consultation on Draft Guidance and
Regulations (SG 09/04/08)
This consultation invites comments on
draft guidance and regulations which will support new local
authority powers and duties in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. The
Act gives local authorities a new set of tools to assist and, where
necessary, compel private owners to take action to improve the
condition of their houses. It also opens the way to a new approach
to helping owners adapt their houses to suit disabled occupants.
Deadline for responses: 1st July 2008.
Consultation: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/07144231/0
News release: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/news_search_results.htm/news_article.htm?articleid=18477
Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) Consultation on
Historic Battlefields (HS 30/04/08)
The Scottish Historic
Environment Policy on Battlefields invites views on Scottish
Ministers' policies for Historic Battlefields.
Deadline for
responses: 25th July 2008.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/consultations/currentconsultations.htm
Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site: Consultation (HS
08/05/08)
The consultation on the Heart of Neolithic Orkney sets
out an overarching vision and long-term aims for the World Heritage
Site. For 2008-13, it highlights management issues and sets out a
series of objectives to address them.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/about/consultations/currentconsultations.htm
Review of Building Standards - Sections 0: General; 3:
Environment & 4: Safety (SBSA 06/05/08)
The purpose of this
consultation is to seek comments on the proposed changes to Sections
0 (General), Section 3 (Environment) and Section 4 (Safety) of the
Technical Handbooks. The main focus of the changes are related
to sustainable development issues including land contamination,
flooding, surface water, ventilation, condensation, solid waste
storage and security.
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/latestupdates/consul_S0_3_4.htm
Review of Building Standards - Section 5: Noise (SBSA 06/05/08)
The purpose of this consultation is to seek comments on proposed
amendments to Section 5: Noise. The main focus of the proposals is:
improved performance of separating construction (supported by
enhanced testing arrangements), increased scope to cover
non-domestic buildings and also, internal floors and partitions to
sleeping accommodation.
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/latestupdates/consul_S5_noise.htm
Review of Building Standards - Section 2: Fire (SBSA 06/05/08)
The purpose of this consultation is to seek comments on proposed
amendments to Section 2: Fire. The main focus of the proposals is:
to improve life safety of people in and around buildings following
the outbreak of fire, encourage innovative design and construction
of buildings, promote inclusive design, and to improve assistance to
the fire and rescue services.
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/latestupdates/consul_S2_fire.htm
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Publications
The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 8(1)
Screening Determination National Scenic Areas (NSAs) Programme (SG
08/04/08)
The Scottish Government Rural Directorate has
determined in consultation with Historic Scotland and the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency that the National Scenic Areas ( NSAs)
Programme is likely to have significant environmental effects. It
has therefore been concluded that a Strategic Environmental
Assessment is required. An environmental report will be prepared
alongside the Consultative Draft on the NSAs Programme.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/08110021/0
Housing, Regeneration and Planning: Research Findings No.12/2008:
Householder Permitted Development: User/Design Code Scoping Study
(SG 08/04/08)
An investigation of the scope for a statutory
User/Design Code to accompany the householder permitted development
rights to be be set out in a new statutory instrument.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/07144722/0
Householder PD User/Design Code Scoping Study (SG 08/04/08)
An investigation of the scope for a statutory User/Design Code
to accompany the householder permitted development rights to be be
set out in a new statutory instrument.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/07144756/0
Scotland's Seas: Towards Understanding their State (SG 09/04/08)
This aims to inform the development of the Scottish Marine Bill
in 2008. The title Scotland's Seas: Towards Understanding their
State, reflects this content and purpose. Development of a fuller
State of Scotland's Seas is underway with the intention of
publishing this in 2010.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/03093608/3
Planning Modernisation Consultation Seminars January to March
2008: Seminars Report (SG 14/04/08)
Summarises the planning
modernisation seminars run between January and March 2008.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/09090508/0
Design at the heart of house-building (SG 16/04/08)
This
research focuses on investigating how private sector developers
across Scotland conceive design and how they engage with design
quality in the development process for new housing. The report's
conclusions and recommendations show how there needs to be a wider
understanding of the process of private sector housing development,
noting how design quality has become a more important component in
the development process. It also highlights the increased importance
of using well-qualified designers who understand the development
process, while urging local authorities, landowners, developers and
other interested parties to be more proactive in ensuring design
quality is high on the agenda in each considered development.
Report: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/08110758/0
News release: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/04/16101553
Scottish Planning Series: Planning Circular 2/08: Statutory
Guidance on Strategic Development Planning Authorities (SG 23/04/08)
This circular constitutes guidance, issued under Section 4(7) of
the 2006 Act, setting out how planning authorities should work
together to prepare strategic development plans.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/22133359/0
Preparation of the second NPF2 Participation Statement (Updated
April 08) (SG 25/04/08)
Participation Statement update.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/24112436/0
Planning Advice Note: PAN 43: Golf Courses and Associated
Developments (SG 25/04/08)
Identifies the planning issues
associated with golf courses and related development.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/24092135/0
Planning Advice Note: PAN 41 Revised 1997: Development Plan
Departures (SG 25/04/08)
Supplements the general advice on good
practice issued in PAN 40: Development Control.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/24092055/0
Planning Advice Note: PAN 39: Farm and Forestry Buildings (SG
25/04/08)
Provides supplementary advice on the siting and design
of new farm and forestry buildings.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/24092020/0
Planning Advice Note: PAN 37 Revised 1996: Structure Planning (SG
25/04/08)
Complements PAN 49 on local planning and replaces
earlier advice on structure planning issued in 1992.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/04/24091943/0
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Scottish Government news releases
Revitalising rural Scotland (SG 06/04/08)
A historic
programme to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits to
Scotland's rural communities has been announced. Rural Development
Contracts - Rural Priorities (RDC - RP) is an integrated funding
mechanism which will deliver targeted environmental, social and
economic benefits. Regional priorities have been established across
five themes including adaptations to mitigate climate change and
thriving rural communities.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/04/04174031
Future of crofting (SG 12/05/08)
"The most significant report
on crofting for the past half century" has been welcomed by Minister
for Environment Michael Russell - "One of our priorities in
Government is to support and develop rural communities. Crofting
makes a unique and significant contribution to remote rural areas.
Crofting delivers environmental benefits and has a pivotal role in
the cultural landscape of the Highlands and Islands that is famous
across the world."
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/05/12145700
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News releases
Regeneration boost for historic communities (HS 23/04/08)
Historic communities across Scotland will benefit from £8
million Culture Minister Linda Fabiani has announced. The Minister
launched Historic Scotland's latest round of Conservation Area
Regeneration Schemes (CARS) funding for local authorities. The
grants breathe new life into run down areas through the restoration
of important buildings and supporting projects that enhance the
understanding of an area's heritage,
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/news_search_results.htm/news_article.htm?articleid=18228
Understanding the threat to Scotland's Coastal Archaeology (HS
12/05/08)
The threat to Scotland's archaeology from coastal
erosion is changing the way we approach protecting and preserving
historic remains. The loss of historic remains to coastal erosion
starkly illustrates the incessant, gradual removal of land by the
sea. Historic Scotland has co-sponsored analysis of the effects of
coastal erosion and commissioned surveys along about 30% of
Scotland's vast coastline. This has made it possible to see which
areas are most vulnerable to erosion and the loss of important
archaeology.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/news_search_results.htm/news_article.htm?articleid=18534
Architecture + Design Scotland Corporate Plan 08-11 (A+DS
24/04/08)
http://www.ads.org.uk/documents/372/372.pdf
New A+DS Introductory Leaflet (A+DS 25/04/08)
Architecture
and Design Scotland (A+DS) have today unveiled their new
Introductory leaflet titled 'Scotland's Design Champion'. The
leaflet provides a brief insight into A+DS and its programmes.
http://www.ads.org.uk/documents/386/386.pdf
Masterplanning Health - a brief guide for health boards (A+DS
30/04/08)
A+DS has launched its first publication designed
specifically to support better healthcare development -
Masterplanning Health. The publication addresses an area that is
frequently underdeveloped in hospital schemes across the UK; being
identified as such by Design Review panels from A+DS, CABE and NHS
Estates (in England). A+DS believe that this is the first
publication in Europe looking at masterplanning healthcare
developments.
http://www.ads.org.uk/documents/380/380.pdf
Designing streets for people - not traffic (CABE 03/04/08)
Most streets in this country are failing pedestrians, and need
to become destinations again, and not simply ways of getting traffic
from A to B. Radical new thinking in urban street design may point
the way forward. Civilised streets, a new report from CABE, sets out
the opportunities and challenges of new design approaches.
http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.aspx?contentitemid=2441
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Recent parliamentary questions
Answers will appear in a subsequent Bulletin, with questions
reproduced.
S3W-12720 John Scott: To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it
has to review and simplify the process for applying for funding for
the restoration of active churches. (SP 07/05/08)
S3W-12831 George Foulkes: To ask the Scottish Executive what
discussions it has had since May 2007 with the National Trust for
Scotland regarding Bute House. (SP 12/05/08)
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Recent parliamentary answers
Q S3W-11154 Liam McArthur: To ask the
Scottish Executive what targets it will set for domestic energy
efficiency improvements in (a) new and (b) existing buildings. (SP
20/03/08)
A Answered by Jim Mather
(17/04/08): A review of energy standards in Scottish building
regulations commenced in February this year. The building standards
advisory committee energy working party has been convened with the
remit to consider the energy standards and guidance that should
apply to new dwellings and when building owners elect to do work on
dwellings they own (extensions, conversions and alterations).
Q S3W-11156 Liam McArthur: To ask the
Scottish Executive what progress it has made in taking forward the
recommendations of the Sullivan Report, A Low Carbon Building
Standards Strategy for Scotland. (SP 20/03/08)
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson
(15/04/08): The work programme commenced by the Scottish Building
Standards Agency will continue to be taken forward by Scottish
building standards, a part of the directorate for the built
environment. Working party meetings with the industry have already
begun to consider recommendations relating to both the compliance
issues and the proposed changes to the energy standards of the
building regulations. Research is also being undertaken to consider
the financial implications of the recommendations.
Q S3W-11254 Jamie McGrigor: To ask the
Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the Rural
Empty Properties Grant scheme. (SP 26/03/08)
A Answered by Stewart Maxwell (17/04/08):
In our discussion document Firm Foundations: The future of Housing
in Scotland, the Scottish Government sets out our vision to reform
the housing system in Scotland to deliver more housing at a better
value for public money. This includes a commitment to promoting
greater use of schemes which offer incentives to bring empty
properties in disrepair back into use. This includes examining the
effectiveness of the Rural Empty Properties Grant Scheme in helping
meet wider housing need and whether there is scope to streamline
grant appraisal procedures. Our aim is to set out the broad
direction of our policies by the end of June, with a series of
announcements on the detail of particular policies being made
thereafter.
Q S3W-11356 Liam McArthur: To ask the
Scottish Executive what sources of public funding area are available
to public/private partnerships involved in urban regeneration
projects. (SP 27/03/08)
A Answered by
Stewart Maxwell (17/04/08): Support to public/private partnerships
is generally provided by local authorities, the enterprise networks
and other public bodies. This can take the form of direct funding or
the transfer of land and property assets. The Scottish Government
also provides direct funding support to pathfinder urban
regeneration companies.
Q S3W-11519 Keith Brown: To ask the
Scottish Executive whether it believes that an application for local
authority planning permission on a building or site of potential
historical interest constitutes a valid reason to defer the process
of its historical listing. (SP 07/04/08)
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson
(23/04/08): Current policy for statutory listing states that it will
not normally be advanced in the face of a live planning application
or appeal. This provides a reasonable application of the legislation
within the current planning framework, particularly as unlike
England the listed building legislation in Scotland has no provision
for certificates of immunity, which can provide developers and
owners with certainty that their building will not be listed for a
five year period.
Q S3W-11816 Robert Brown: To ask the
Scottish Executive whether it will support development on brownfield
sites by providing subsidy to reflect higher site remedial costs.
(SP 15/04/08)
A Answered by Stewart
Maxwell (24/04/08): The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his
budget on 12 April this year plans to introduce tax relief for the
remediation of brownfield land. Draft legislation will be published
for consultation this summer, and the relief will take effect from
April 2009. The Scottish Government has been fully engaged in the
development of these proposals and we recognise the incentives this
will offer for development of brownfield land in Scotland. We have
no plans to introduce additional subsidies for brownfield
development in Scotland at present.
Q S3W-12447 Mike Rumbles: To ask the
Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10528 by
Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008, when it will launch its
consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for
existing domestic and non-domestic buildings. (SP 01/05/08)
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson
(14/05/08): The Scottish Government will issue its planned
consultation on the energy performance of buildings as soon as
possible. The Scottish Government website contains the latest
information on all forthcoming consultations, including the
anticipated consultation period. This can be viewed by following
this link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Forthcoming.
Q S3W-12515 Helen Eadie: To ask the
Scottish Executive whether it considers that climate change will be
a material consideration in future planning decisions. (SP 01/05/08)
A Answered by Stewart Stevenson
(14/05/08): It is initially for the planning authority to decide
whether a consideration is material in a particular case and
ultimately it is a matter for the courts. Climate change is already
capable of being a material consideration.
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Other parliamentary activity
Debates
Supporting the voluntary sector (17/04/08)
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0417-01.htm
Housing (01/05/08)
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0501-01.htm
Motions
*S3M-1671 Hugh O'Donnell: Council for Scottish Archaeology
Changes its Name-That the Parliament welcomes the new name and
re-branding of the Council for Scottish Archaeology (CSA) to
Archaeology Scotland (AS), from 1 April 2008; agrees with the CSA
Board that the new name and the changes associated with it will give
a new impetus to the protection and promotion of Scotland's rich
archaeological heritage, and welcomes the fact that CSA/AS have been
assured that protection of all archaeological and historical sites
is now a condition of grant for all recipients of agri-environment
grants under Tier 2 - Land Management Options and Tier 3 - Rural
Priorities. (SP 08/04/08)
*S3M-1751 Linda Fabiani: Historic Scotland and Local
Authorities-That the Parliament recognises the unique relationship
between Historic Scotland and local authorities in the protection of
the nation's historic environment and welcomes initiatives to
modernise and simplify that relationship to the benefit of local
authorities, Historic Scotland and stakeholders. (SP 22/04/08)
*S3M-1848 Johann Lamont: Meeting Scotland's Housing Needs-That
the Parliament recognises the broad range of issues that must be
tackled in meeting the diverse housing needs of people across
Scotland; confirms that the Scottish Government must act to address
these issues, including continued work to prevent and reduce
homelessness, the further development of housing to meet particular
and specialist need, dealing with the blockages to the supply of
housing, providing affordable housing to buy and within the socially
rented sector, ensuring higher quality and better managed housing
for rent in the private sector, seeking solutions to the problems
facing local authorities where tenants voted against stock transfer
and recognising the distinctive challenges in rural areas,
regeneration areas and areas of high demand; notes that the
consultation responses to the Firm Foundations document exposed
significant flaws in the Scottish Government's approach; urges the
Scottish Government to address these flaws and bring forward a
coherent strategy for all of Scotland's housing needs and, in
particular, agrees that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and
Wellbeing should ensure that the Mazars report into second stage
transfer issues in Glasgow Housing Association is subject to open,
transparent and independent scrutiny. (SP 07/05/08)
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Events
Holyrood Conferences: Taking Stock: Scotland's Planning System in
2008 - Monday 16 June 2008
This conference will address the
major current issues in the system, such as the widely publicised
delays in the process, the retention of planners, the implementation
of the Planning Act, the various government consultations, whether
decisions should be national or local and the implementation of
NPF2.
http://conferences.holyrood.com/content/view/446/29/
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Training
Scottish Lime Centre: Building Conservation Masterclass - The
structural repair of historic buildings
24-25 June 2008, £195 +
VAT, at the Scottish Lime Centre. Charlestown, Fife.
This two
day Masterclass led by Ian Hume is suitable for anyone involved in
the structural repair of historic buildings, conservation officers,
architects, engineers and others would find this masterclass
helpful. The day will consist of lectures, case studies and group
activities. The aim of this masterclass is to provide professionals
with a sound understanding of the philosophy of conservation and a
better understanding of the relationship between structural
engineering and conservation, of safety issues and of the aesthetics
of conservation based structural repairs.
To book or check availability phone 01383 872722 or e-mail admin@scotlime.org.
You can
now book online www.scotlime.org
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Job vacancies
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Information in the
Bulletin is extracted from a number of websites; including the
Scottish Government (SG); the Scottish Parliament (SP);
Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS); Historic Scotland (HS);
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH); Scottish Council for Voluntary
Organisations (SCVO); English Heritage (EH); Commission for
Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE); Department of
Communities and Local Government (DCLG); Department of Culture,
Media and Sport (DCMS); Department of Environment and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA); National Assembly for Wales (NAW); Forestry Commission
Scotland (FCS); Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA). For
further information, links are provided to the relevant documents.
Back copies of the Bulletin are available approximately one month
after publication on the BEFS website.
If you
have any questions or comments on the above, or would like to submit
information to be included, please get in touch with Jo
Robertson jrobertson@befs.org.uk or call
the BEFS Office on 0131 220 6241.
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