Progressive Placemaking in Scotland: The Long Road from Aspiration to Implementation

Richardson, R. , White, J. and James, G. (2023) Progressive Placemaking in Scotland: The Long Road from Aspiration to Implementation. UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference 2023, Glasgow, UK, 4-6 Sept 2023.

Abstract

A distinctive placemaking agenda has seen design become increasingly central to national planning policy in Scotland. While the specific manifestation of placemaking has been fluid, it has established particular prominence through the growing recognition of the health and environmental benefits of well-designed places. Despite this ambition, which has recently been enshrined within the Fourth National Planning Framework’s advocation of design-based responses to climate change, the consistent delivery of well-designed development remains a persistent problem. This paper firstly explores the development of this placemaking policy agenda, and then identifies a stubborn ‘implementation gap’, using two case studies of typical housing developments. The research was conducted through: semi-structured interviews with ‘key informants’ on the national placemaking agenda, and stakeholders at each case study site including planners, designers and developers; archival research with national and local planning policy, and planning application records; and direct observation of the case study developments. This evidence illustrates the challenge of delivering the nuanced design aims of national policy ‘on the ground’. This leads to the identification of several barriers to successful implementation, including other policy objectives taking precedence over design, limited design skills and capacity within planning authorities, and housebuilders’ frequent reluctance to invest in design. The paper argues that NPF4 provides a key opportunity to close this implementation gap, but that national and local government will need to support and invest in this as a priority of the planning system, given that the delivery challenges are complex and deeply-rooted in Scottish planning and development practice.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Status: Published
• Refereed: No
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: James, Dr Gareth and White, Professor James and Richardson, Dr Robert
• Authors: Richardson, R., White, J., and James, G.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies; College of Social Sciences

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