The National Planning Skills Commitment Plan will provide training and skills development through monthly themed webinars, hands-on learning and recruitment support. It is supported by more than 100 leaders across almost 60 organisations in the built and natural environment professions. The plan will cover different themes at different times, with the first one on housing.

More planners are needed in Scotland to meet recruitment gaps. In 2023-24 planners dealt with nearly 23,000 applications including 227 applications for major developments.

The Commitment plan builds on the Future Planners Research (2022) and delivers on the action outlined in the Planning and Housing Emergency - Delivery Plan (November 2024). Organisations committed to actions, this month, include Fife Council and Highland Council who are leading a workshop for the Scottish Young Planners Network on processing a planning application. Other training partners during March include the Improvement Service, Scottish Land Commission, Scottish Futures Trust, Architecture and Design Scotland.

Public finance minister Ivan McKee met planning students during a visit to Govan Housing Association’s Water Row Development.

Mr McKee said: “The response to the new National Planning Skills Commitment Plan has been overwhelmingly positive and demonstrates that the industry is eager to work with the Scottish Government to develop skills and welcome new talent.

“Planning promotes economic development, addresses housing shortages and supports action on climate change. Modernising how the profession is promoted and portrayed, and taking a more direct approach to recruitment will help attract the next generation of planning professionals. This will ensure that Scotland can deliver development and infrastructure efficiently, effectively and sustainably now and in the future.”

Ross Nimmo, head of place at Glasgow City Region, said: “Planners help to imagine and deliver many of our local, regional and national priorities, from town centres and business parks to renewable energy and nature networks. As a growing City Region, we need planners to create great places like Water Row in Govan. The National Planning Skills Commitment Plan and our own regional skills initiative are boosting the profession’s profile and opening up new routes to education and employment.”