The commitment is to work in partnership to intensify the focus on improving skills and attract more people into the profession. Whilst the scale of the challenge is significant, Scotland’s planning industry have come together through the National Planning Skills Commitment Plan to help push the agenda forward.  This work builds on the RTPI Future Planners Project Report (2022) and sits as an Action in the Planning and the Housing Emergency - Delivery Plan (November 2024).  

SCHEDULE

The Commitment Plan's Schedule has been updated every month with different themes for training sessions and recruitment opportunities.  The aim is to provide support across all sectors, different age groups, and career stages, whether working in, or out, of the profession.

Themes for June 2025 are "live" and focus on:

• Training - Leadership and Development Management 
• Recruitment - Opening up Work-Places + Rural Places

SIGN UP - TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT 

Developing your skills

Leadership:

New LISTEN-UP! podcast will be posted on PARD Linkedin | 25 June

The line-up includes:

• Karen Anderson | President and Architect | RIAS
• Neale McIIvanney | Interim Director Regeneration | Inverclyde Council
• Helena Huws | Head of Placemaking | Network Rail
• Johanna Boyd | Chief Executive | Planning Aid Scotland
• Paul Lawson | Planner | Scottish Government and Chair Scottish Young Planners
• Dr Ombretta Romice | Senior Lecturer | Strathclyde University

Listen in your own time to be inspired.

National Planning Policy:

• Applying a Place Based Approach to Wellbeing | NPF Cross cutting policies | Webinar | 12 June | 11-12:00pm - Register
• Landscape Architecture - Cityscape & Greenspace | Walk-Talk-Learn + Social | EDINBURGH | 26 June | 4:30-6:00pm | Register Melissa.Shields@gov.scot
• Landscape Architecture - Planning & Windfarms | Walk-Talk-Learn + Social | INVERNESS | 26 June | 2:00-5:00pm | Register sile.tang@highland.gov.uk

Development Management:

• Processing Agreements with JM Planning and Perth and Kinross Council | Enjoy the blog in June’s Schedule.
• Pre App. Discussions with NORTHPLAN and Highland Council | Webinar | 18 June | 2:30-3:10pm | Register
• Pre App. Discussions with MODA living and Glasgow City Council with Minister for Public Finance | Story + Site Visit | Date TBC | Register Melissa.Shields@gov.uk

Key Topics:

• A brief History of Planning | Webinar for Planning Aid Scotland Volunteers | 11 June | 12:30-13:30pm | Register jo@pas.org.uk
• Your wellbeing | Webinar | 30 June | 2:30-3:10pm | Register
• Sustainability | CPD training | Short courses | University of Highlands and Islands Sustainability - UHI
• Rural Community Development | CPD training | Short Courses University of Highlands and Islands | Rural Community Development CPD

Conferences:

• New Towns and Design Codes | Strathclyde University | Glasgow | 11 June | Register
• Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors with Deputy First Minister | Glasgow | 12 June | Register
• Heads of Planning - Power of Planning | Kilmarnock | 19 June | Register

Opening up Work-Places + Rural Places:

• Our Recruitment Inspo Days | With thanks to Duncan Smart Scottish Power and Steven Robb Historic Environment Scotland for supporting us.
• Your Recruitment Inspo Days | Let us know if you fancy opening up your work-place for a morning or afternoon? Email susan.stirling@gov.scot
• TikTok | A first for Scotland’s built environment and natural profession | First story about our work-places | Follow SYPN Planning Environment and Design | from 13 June
• Rural Places | Check out the media links created by Highlands and Islands Enterprises in June’s Schedule.
• In Your Own Words | Read and listen to planners who live and work in rural areas | 25 June | Planning Architecture and Regeneration Directorate’s PARD Linkedin.
• Scottish Government Bursaries | Make sure you get your applications completed | Some closing dates start at the end of June | Details
• Homes for Scotland | 5 new bursaries introduced to study planning | Details
• Mentoring opportunities with the RTPI | Details
• Licientiate opportunities with Planning Aid Scotland | Details jo@pas.org.uk
• RIAS Awards | Enjoy award winning work from the shores of Harris to the heart of urban Dundee Details
• RTPI Scotland Awards for Planning Excellence | Wish the shortlist good luck! | Details
• Renewables360 | Opening up the workplace of largescale infrastructure |  Details
• Lock16 | Delivery of Rural Skills Apprenticeships | Historic Environment Scotland | Details

STAKEHOLDERS

100% commitment from stakeholders 

Stakeholders have committed their support, through some form of action, to the National Planning Skills Commitment Plan. For now, this includes over 100 people, across over almost 70 organisations. Everyone’s support has come into play at different times and the stakeholders have agreed to work collectively to help address Scotland’s skills agenda.

The Stakeholders that are part of the Commitment Plan, so far, have either already been linked to the planning skills agenda, or have been introduced as fresh contacts, including some specialising in skills promotion.

Commitment Plan Stakeholders are listed alphabetically below.

• Aberdeen Council   
• Aberdeenshire Council   
• Anderson Bell Christie 
• Architecture + Design Scotland (A+DS)  
• Argyll and Bute Council - Planning and Building Standards
• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) 
• City of Edinburgh Council   
• City of Glasgow College 
• Confederation of British Industry (CBI)  
• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)  
• Developing the Young Workforce (DYW)  
• Dumfries and Galloway Collage  
• East Ayrshire Council   
• Fife Council   
• Forth Valley College
• Geddes Consulting  
• Glasgow Caledonian University  
• Glasgow Chambers of Commerce   
• Glasgow City Council  
• Glasgow City Region
• Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS)  
• Heriot Watt University  
• Highland and Island Enterprise  
• Highland Council   
• Historic Environment Scotland (HES)  
• Homes for Scotland   
• Iceni Planning Consultants 
• Improvement Service (IS)  
• Inverclyde Council - Planning, Building Standards and Property
• Key Agency Group   
• Landscape Institute Scotland (LIS)  
• Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)  
• Moda living
• Nature Scot  
• Network Rail
• NORTH
• Okrney Council
• Planning Aid Scotland (PAS) 
• Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Directorate - gov.scot
• Royal Incorporation of Architects (RIAS)  
• Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)  
• Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland (RTPI) 
• RTPI  Highlands and Islands
• Ryden
• Savills  
• Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP)  
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)  
• Scottish Futures Trust (SFT)  
• Scottish Land Commission (SLC)  
• Scottish Power   
• Scottish Property Federation  
• Scottish Renewables  
• Scottish Young Planners Network (SYPN)  
• Skills Development Scotland (SDS)  
• Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE)  
• Society of Local Authority Lawyers (SOLAR)  
• South Ayrshire Council   
• South Lanarkshire Council - Planning and Building Standards 
• South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE)  
• SSE Renewables  
• Transport Scotland  
• Turley Planning Consultancy  
• University of Dundee  
• University of Glasgow  
• University of Highlands and Islands  
• University of Strathclyde  
• WSP

SIGN UP - NATIONAL PLANNING SKILLS COMMITMENT PLAN

There is no exclusivity to committing to playing a role within the Commitment Plan. 

If your organisation wishes to join the Commitment Plan, please contact the Scottish Government Planning Architecture and Regeneration Directorate via susan.stirling@gov.scot and they will be happy to explore with you how best to work together.  

The Scottish Government is grateful to every stakeholder who has agreed to support the Commitment Plan and look forward to working with you. 

WITH THANKS TO EVERYONE