Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland
(SCOTS)
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
“Connecting our Communities”
Through the Planning Gain Service, the FIRS Group
And – Beyond…….
Stuart Robertson
Planning Gain Manager
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Setting the Scene
Aberdeenshire Council provides a Planning Gain
Service through SLA’s to:- Aberdeen City, Moray
Council & the Cairngorms National Park Authority –
so giving a consistent approach to Planning Gain
in the North East of Scotland for the benefit of
Developers and Public alike.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
The Development Industry does
not take kindly to
Shocks
and minimising these from the
outset through
Dialogue & Information
will establish good partnering
relationships for the benefit of
all concerned.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Pro active measures linked to a
development of whatever scale
But also for Art
Ballater
Contributions to Public Transport to enhance or to establish a
service.Bus shelters, stances & cycle racks at bus stops.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Community Facilities
Blackburn, Nr Aberdeen, Community Hall 35% PG
funded – within walking distance for most residents.
Grey water recovery system for showers and WC’s
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Commercial Developments
•
•
•
•
•
Public Transport
Town centre impact
Access links,
Natural Heritage
Waste/Recycling
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Overview
Planning Gain
Apart from encouraging early dialogue, infrastructure
assessments are generally made and contributions
negotiated following a Planning Application.
F.I.R.S. Process
Seeks to formalise and establish requirements prior to
Local Plan allocations and individual application stage.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Future Infrastructure Requirements
for Services.
FIRS
A coordinated cross service approach to
infrastructure provision.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
It’s Not
Rocket Science
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Anatomy of the FIRS GROUP
Economic
Development
“I didn’t realise
you had
to do Architects
Housing
Estates
that!”
Recreation
Education
NHS
Waste
Planning
Transport
Scotland
Finance
Environment
Scottish
Water
Planning
Gain
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Cross
Boundary Rep
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
FIRS Process
FIRS Group assess areas for growth as indicated by proposals
for Structure Plan.
Outcomes inform Structure Plan to determine growth areas
that can accommodate anticipated infrastructure requirements.
Development Industry submit Proposals for inclusion in Local
Development Plan to accord with finalised Structure Plan.
FIRS Group assess infrastructure requirements on Preferred
Development Proposal sites as identified by Planning Policy
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
v
u
Transport Interchange
Trunk Road
improvements
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
School
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
FIRS Process
Industry informed of outcome of assessment process.
Industry asked to determine sites that can be delivered.
Deliverable sites put into Draft Local Development Plan.
Meanwhile second tier sites are assessed as contingency for
those sites that cannot be delivered, are rejected by Elected
Members or by the Inquiry Reporter.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Capital Acceleration.
(Up front funding)
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
RISK
The Council is Risk Aware not Risk Averse.
We should be prepared to take risks with
infrastructure to encourage development but to
minimise that risk with good planning.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
5c
4
Risk at the Crossroads
5a
1
3
2
5b
Phase 1
Phase 2
Proposed expansion
Phase 3
Phase 4
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Phase 5
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Future Infrastructure Requirements for Services
‘FIRS’ Group
Proposal being promoted;
Council front ending certain infrastructure:
In control of the delivery and specification whilst being in a
position to apportion costs fairly amongst all developments.
Equalisation of infrastructure contributions will allow
Developers of all sizes to bid for sites.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
‘FIRS’ Group
The developer contributes to specific infrastructure through
the course of development on a pro rata basis.
A rolling infrastructure fund would be established.
Certainty for Developers and Council.
Council can mitigate risk by taking the long view on
allocated land and known infrastructure requirements
‘Risk’ ( Optimism Bias) factor built into repayment
structure.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
FIRS Outcomes
A cross boundary FIRS Group has been established to ensure
continuity between Aberdeenshire & Aberdeen City particularly
in areas of Transport & Education.
FIRS Model adopted by Aberdeen City & Moray Councils
Proactive rather than reactive – good PR for both Public &
Private sectors.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
FIRS
Moving Forward
An Aberdeen City & Shire Transportation solution
by addressing Cumulative Cross Boundary impacts.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Circular 1/2010 – Planning Agreements.
Policy Tests
11……..
“relate to the proposed development either as a
direct consequence of the development or arising
from the cumulative impact of development in the
area (paragraphs16-17);”
RELATIONSHIP TO PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT TEST
16
“……..place additional requirements on infrastructure
(cumulative impact)…….”
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Regional approach to transport issues in the Aberdeen City &
Shire Local Development Plans:
• Transport modelling has assessed benefits gained by
‘Committed’ schemes and likely additional infrastructure required
• FIRS groups have also helped to identify infrastructure
requirements
• Most new infrastructure schemes can be attributed to specific
developments
• However, there is also a package of schemes which cannot.
These have been attributed to all developments within the HMA
and Strategic Growth Areas.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Getting the right team in place
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Bringing aspects of the processes together
Planning Gain
FIRS Group
Stage payments
Section 75s
Assess
Infrastructure
Identify & Quantify
Cumulative Impacts
Apportion costs evenly over growth area
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
The Cumulative Effect
eg:8 developments in rural School catchment area.
9
5
8
50 Houses
3
= 20 Pupils
7
6
11
1
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
What is Fair and Reasonable?
No Net Detriment NOW can mean …..
NO development NOW.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Development Site
Location of
Cumulative
Infrastructure
Western
Peripheral Road
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Closer look at Aberdeen City
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Main points of the scheme
Transportation interventions-(roads & P.T) identified and costed
to serve Residential and Commercial development within
Strategic Growth Areas & Housing Market Areas over plan
period to 2023.
Costs are apportioned to all developments on a house unit size
or floor area basis.
Contributions collected as and when development takes place.
Interventions are monitored & prioritised by NESTRANS &
carried out as and when sufficient funds are in place.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
As with Education requirements, several sites can contribute
to an item of infrastructure that serves them all.
Site A
Site B
Site C
Academy
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Site D
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Discussions have been held with House Builders and
Surveyors with a favourable response from both sectors.
Reviews of requirements over period may lead to schemes
dropping out and new schemes coming in as the realities on
the ground dictate.
This can avoid works being carried out that are considered
essential now but may prove unnecessary in 5 yrs time.
Key points are:
Transparency, Certainty, Equality, Flexibility & Trust.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Goal posts on castors.
Major Infrastructure costs can either change dramatically
during the course of the application process or appear as
an add-on that was not known at the outset.
These can throw the best intentions askew and may
require S75 variations when evidenced.
Eg:
Utility installations and Trunk Road measures,
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
The Real World

L.A.s Must always be aware that
unreasonable additional costs or
delays can lead to projects not being
built and employees being laid off.
This is especially true in today’s
financial climate.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Back to the Beginning
Avoid Shocks through Dialogue
& Information Sharing.
Establish & keep good partnering
relationships for the benefit of all
concerned.
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Aberdeenshire Council Planning Gain Service
Thank You for Your Attention
The Moray
Council
Cairngorms
National Park
Authority
Fraserburgh
Banff
Turriff
Huntly
Peterhead
Ellon
Inverurie
Alford
Braemar
Banchory
Aberdeen
Stonehaven
We don’t just talk about it – we DO it
Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS)
Annual Conference 20 May 2011
Annual Conference 20 May 2011