THE Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland has launched its ‘Planifesto 2026’, calling for a long-term investment in the planning system to unlock homes, infrastructure, and sustainable growth.
Building on the UK-wide Planifesto 2024, the organisation said the new Scotland Planifesto 2026 outlines a vision for a ‘prosperous, resilient and equitable’ Scotland, where every community benefits from well-planned places, thriving local economies, and a healthy natural environment.
As the next Scotland election approaches, RTPI Scotland is urging all political parties to recognise that planning is essential to achieving national priorities.
The Scotland Planifesto 2026 calls for:
- A whole-system approach to funding Scotland’s planning service – including long-term budgets, investment in forward plan-making, and the creation of a National Digital Planning Champion to lead innovation across local authorities.
- Infrastructure-led development, establishing a national infrastructure delivery body to coordinate investment and growth.
- Delivering diverse and inclusive housing by recognising housing as critical infrastructure.
- Ensure the future of rural and island communities by championing flexible planning approaches to support innovation in rural areas and enable and empower rural and island communities to create their own Local Place Plans.
- Building thriving and resilient places through net zero placemaking and embedding the Place Principle across policies and projects.
Dr Caroline Brown, director of RTPI Scotland, said, “Planning is one of the most powerful tools the government has to deliver a fairer, greener and more prosperous Scotland. To make that happen, we need to properly fund our planning system, coordinate infrastructure investment and support planners to shape the places where people, nature and businesses thrive.”
