ABSTRACT
The legislation governing Scottish planning is similar to that of England and Wales. However, the local government structure and the national guidance provided by the Scottish Office gives a far sounder foundation for the preparation and implementation of development plans. Despite this, plan production has been slow and the plans themselves have often been less than ideal. Outside of the development plans framework Scotland is distinctive in that a variety of central government bodies, especially the Scottish Development Agency, have played a key role in physical regeneration. However, the relationship of their activities to development planning has often been obscure. Scottish planning is now facing a variety of challenges. The reform of local government may undermine the effectiveness of strategic planning and increase the role of the nonelected Local Enterprise Companies in determining strategic priorities.
