HOPS undertakes a variety of work within its broader purpose of promoting the profile of public sector land use planning. Recent and current areas of work can be found in the menu above. Publications, including consultation responses and research, are available on their own pages here.
Sub-committees Key Areas of Work 2026/27
Each subcommittee develops and maintains key areas of work for the upcoming year.
Performance & Practice
- Ensuring the effective roll out of Elected Member Training to ensure that it is implemented in a manner that will be of benefit to Planning Authorities and their operations.
- Continue to work closely with the National Planning Improvement Champion and the National Planning Improvement Framework team to extend the positive impact that the new Performance Frameworks are having on the profile of Planning Services.
- Continue to oversee the activity of the Working Group on Digital Planning to provide commentary on the progression and prioritisation of digital advancement and options for joint working.
- Further engagement with Scottish Government staff on the roll out of the Planning Hub to identify strategic priorities that deliver nationally beneficial outputs.
- Further engagement with Scottish Government on the Skills Commitment Programme particularly on training opportunities and bringing staff into the planning profession.
Development Planning
- HOPS will continue to work alongside Improvement Service, to identify opportunities that will provide Housing Land Audit support to Planning Authorities.
- Continue to input and work with the Improvement Service and National Planning Hub in shaping the Local Development Plan Support Programme, to support planning authorities in the delivery of Local Development Plans
- Continue to work with Improvement Service on housing land pipeline data project and proposals to improve the data, in relation to Housing Land Audits.
- HOPS subcommittee will continue to work with Scottish Government and Homes for Scotland, exploring and taking forward collaborative, streamlined approaches that assist planning authorities in the Housing Land Audit process.
- Continue to identify opportunities for collaborative working across planning authorities, that streamline the planning process and ensure proportionality.
Development Management
- Promotion of a Use Class Order to require planning permission for the use of a property for short term let use
- Continued work to streamline planning processes with a particular focus on:
- Establishment of permitted development for NatureScot funded/promoted peatland restoration projects.
- Overhaul and replacement of the 1960 Caravan Act with a fit for purpose legislation
- Promotion and review of 1984 Advert regulations
- Fee regulations revisions with a particular focus on capped fees.
- Promotion of the HOPS validation standard across Scotland
- Continued engagement with the Scottish Government on the roll out of Permitted Development Rights and other legislation and consultations as appropriate.
Climate Change, Energy & Resources
- Continue to lobby for energy applications of all scale to be dealt with under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act
- Respond to the forthcoming consultation on Electricity Act process changes
- Maintain watching brief on socio-economics and community benefit from energy development – advocating for a mandatory requirement
- Finalise revised Decommissioning Guidance
- Keep appraised of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS)
- Keep appraised of developments around Circular Economy (Zero Waste)
- Continue to engage with developments around Hydrogen
- Continue to engage with developments around Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES)
- Maintain the following Sub-groups:
- Minerals Working Group
- Minerals Officers Working Group
- Scotwind Working Group
- Position Statement on the Operation of Financial Mechanisms to Secure Decommissioning, Restoration and Aftercare of Development Sites