This page seeks to provide a better practice guide to help identify 
and deal with the likely transport impacts of new developments.
It is recommended that the below guidance be referred to by all those with a role in the development planning process. This includes:
- developers and their agents
- local authority officers and councillors
- public transport providers
- those involved with planning enquiries
- members of the public who may be affected by proposed developments
- groups with specific interests in transport
- SPP 17 (pdf 266KB)
- PAN 75 (pdf 290KB)
- Transport Assessment and Implementation: A Guide (pdf 546KB)
- Car Parking Standards for Aberdeenshire (pdf 438KB)
The guidance presents an opportunity to deliver sustainable transport consistent with current policy.
Transport cannot be an afterthought in the development process. (Scottish Executive SPP 17)
PLANNING SERIES:
• Scottish Planning Policies (SPPs) provide statements of Scottish Executive
policy on nationally important land use and other planning matters,
supported where appropriate by a locational framework.
• Circulars, which also provide statements of Scottish Executive policy, contain
guidance on policy implementation through legislative or procedural
change.
• Planning Advice Notes (PANs) provide advice on good practice and other
relevant information.
Statements of Scottish Executive policy contained in SPPs and Circulars may be material considerations to be taken into account in development plan preparation and development management.
Existing National Planning Policy Guidelines (NPPGs) have continued relevance to
decision making, until such time as they are replaced by
a SPP. The term SPP should be
interpreted as including NPPGs.
Statements of Scottish Executive location-specific planning policy, for example the
West Edinburgh Planning Framework, have the same status in decision making as
SPPs.
The National Planning Framework sets out the strategy for Scotland’s long-term spatial
development. It has the same status as SPPs and provides a national context for
development plans and planning decisions and the ongoing programmes of the
Scottish Executive, public agencies and local government.
Important Note: In the interests of brevity and conciseness, Scottish Planning Policies do
NOT repeat policy across thematic boundaries. Each SPP takes as read the general
policy in SPP1, and highlights the other SPPs where links to other related policy will be
found. The whole series of SPPs should be taken as an integral policy suite and read
together.
