Student Planning Opportunities

Aberdeen City Council

Students spend a day with Aberdeen City Council’s Planning Service, beginning with an introduction and the chance to observe the Planning Development Management Committee in action. A de‑brief session follows, exploring how applications are assessed and reports are prepared. After a guided walk around Union Terrace Gardens and city centre masterplan projects, students have lunch with recently qualified planners for informal discussion. The afternoon continues with meetings across the Strategic Place Planning teams to learn about different roles and projects, ending with reflection and feedback to close the session.

Dates: 21st May or 18th June
Capacity: 10 students per day
Location: Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen
Contact: Daniel Lewis (dlewis@aberdeencity.gov.uk)

Aberdeenshire Council

Work experience within Development Management, Local Development Plan, planning information and research, delivering development, local place plans and historic environment.

Dates: Dates to be negotiated from May – July
Capacity: 10 students per day
Location: Either Viewmount, Stonehaven or Woodhill House, Aberdeen
Contact: Kathleen Fraser (kathleen.fraser2@aberdeenshire.gov.uk)

Dundee City Council

Students are introduced to Dundee’s Planning Service through sessions covering development planning, city regeneration, and development management, including insight into the ongoing review of the Dundee Local Development Plan and a range of regeneration and placemaking projects. The afternoon features a guided site visit around the City Centre and Waterfront to see key projects discussed earlier, followed by a concluding Q&A.

Dates: 9th and 16th June 20226
Capacity: 10 students per day
Itinerary: Download here
Location: Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1QE
Contact: Please email your name, contact details and your preferred date (9th or 16th June) to planning@dundeecity.gov.uk to request a place.

East Dunbartonshire Council

Students spend the day with East Dunbartonshire Council’s Planning Service beginning with sessions on Development Management and Planning Policy. After lunch, they head out on a series of site visits covering Local Development Plan sites, development management cases and enforcement examples. The day concludes with attendance at the Planning Board, offering insight into how final planning decisions are made.

Dates: Wednesday 29th April and Wednesday 6th May 2026
Capacity: 3 students per day
Location: Southbank House, 1 Strathkelvin Pl, Kirkintilloch, Glasgow G66 1XQ
Contact: Heather Holland (heather.holland@eastdunbarton.gov.uk)

Falkirk Council

A full day student visit to Falkirk Council’s planning service featuring time spent with both development management and development planning staff, giving an insight into current work areas and challenges. This would include a site visit and the possibility of sitting in on work meetings, depending on opportunities and scheduling.

Dates: Wednesday 29th April and Wednesday 6th May 2026
Capacity: 1 student per day
Location: Falkirk Stadium, 4 Stadium Way, Falkirk, FK2 9EE
Contact: Alistair Shaw (alistair.shaw@falkirk.gov.uk)

Fife Council

Fife Council are pleased to offer an introductory session of Fife Council’s Planning Services to 12 attendees. The session will be held over two days with the first day focussing on forward planning, strategic planning and planning policy including a focus on principal national policies relating to the housing emergency, climate emergency and biodiversity emergency. This session will be lead by the Policy and Place Team and Climate Change and Zero Waste team, giving a unique perspective on policy planning with a topic focus.

The following week, the second day will focus on development management, planning applications and post application considerations. This will give participants a taste of dealing with planning applications from validation through to determination using examples from householder applications to major applications. Post application matters such as enforcement and site monitoring will also be discussed.

Dates: 4th and 11th June 2026 (students to attend both days)
Capacity: 12 students
Location: Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5LT
Contact: Alan Blackie (alan.blackie@fife.gov.uk)

Glasgow City Council

A full-day student visit to Glasgow City Council’s Planning Service, featuring introductions to planning work, sessions on development management, spatial strategy, and the city development plan, followed by a site visit and feedback session.

Dates: Thursday 23rd and Wednesday 29th April
Capacity: 5 students per day
Itinerary: Download here
Location: Exchange House, 231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX
Contact: Julia Lapthorn (julia.lapthorn@glasgow.gov.uk)

Glasgow City Region

Students will explore broad themes in strategic spatial planning and regional programme delivery, gaining insight into the Glasgow City Region, its Regional Spatial Strategy, and the data that underpins strategic decision‑making. They will receive an overview of the Green Network, Clyde Mission and Clyde Metro, and take part in site visits to key strategic developments like AMIDS, the Govan-Partick Bridge and Clyde Gateway.

Dates: 3rd June, 10th June, 17th June
Capacity: 2 students per day
Location: Exchange House, 231 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RX
Contact: Debbie Crawford (debbie.crawford@glasgow.gov.uk)

Highland Council

Students will spend a full day with Highland Council’s Planning Service, beginning with an introduction to the Highlands, the council’s structure, and key development issues. The programme includes sessions on development management, strategic and local development planning, and the preparation of the new Highland‑wide Local Development Plan 2. In the afternoon, students join the Development Management team for a site visit to see how planning applications are assessed in practice.

Dates: 22nd and 29th April
Capacity: 5 students per day
Itinerary: Download here
Location: Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX
Contact: Bob Robertson (bob.robertson@highland.gov.uk)

Inverclyde Council

We can offer students an opportunity to work alongside planning officers on day-to-day tasks such as reviewing planning applications, site visits on planning application and enforcement related work, assisting with correspondence etc. They could also sit in team meetings and meetings with developers for example. We could also provide opportunities to work alongside development planning staff on LDP related work.

Dates: Flexible across end of April, May and June, please contact to make arrangements
Capacity: n/a
Location: 11 Hamilton Way, Greenock PA15 1JJ alternatively online meetings can be arranged
Contact: Erin Goldie (erin.goldie@inverclyde.gov.uk)

North Ayrshire Council

A short term weekly voluntary attendance offer to visit the Planning service of North Ayrshire Council providing introductions to planning work, particularly development management and local development planning and accompanied by site visits.

Dates: TBC depending on availability of students and North Ayrshire Council. One day per week on a Wednesday for 4 weeks maximum
Capacity: n/a
Location: Cunninghame House, Irvine. KA12 8EE
Contact: Allan Finlayson (allanfinlayson@north-ayrshire.gov.uk)

Perth and Kinross Council

Students will gain practical experience by joining site visits, shadowing experienced planning officers, and assessing proposals on site. They also take part in workshops focused on major planning applications, where they review proposals and evaluate how well they align with relevant planning policies.

Dates: Flexible with students availability, please contact to discuss further
Capacity: n/a
Location: 2 High Street, Perth, PH1 5PH
Contact: Sean Panton (spanton@pkc.gov.uk)

Renfrewshire Council

A day with our planners – an insight into our LDP preparation, Paisley Grammar developments old and new and witness our Planning and Climate Change Board in action.

Dates: 26th May 2026
Capacity: 3 students
Location: Renfrewshire House, Paisley PA1 1JD
Contact: David Love (david.love@renfrewshire.gov.uk)

South Lanarkshire Council

South Lanarkshire Council are able to offer placements in both Policy and Development Management positions. Day visits to the council can also be arranged

Dates: Flexible with students availability, please contact to discuss further
Capacity: n/a
Location: Almada St, Hamilton ML3 0AA
Contact: Jane Weir (jane.weir@southlanarkshire.gov.uk)

Stirling Council

Stirling Council will provide work shadowing opportunities with our Development Management Team, Policy and Enforcement. There will be the chance to process a Mock Planning application and shadow the Policy team as they prepare the new development Plan.

Dates: Flexible with students availability, please contact to discuss further
Capacity: 2 students
Location: Oldviewforth, 14-20 Pitt Terrace, Stirling FK8 2EZ
Contact: Peter Mckechnie (planning@stirling.gov.uk)

West Dunbartonshire Council

Structured 2 day visit covering Development Planning and Place and Development Management, including site visits, observing Planning Committee and meeting with Elected Members.

Dates: Monday 11th May and Wednesday 13th May (students to attend both days)
Capacity: 5 students
Itinerary: Download here
Location: 16 Church St, Dumbarton G82 1QL
Contact: Michael Mulgrew (michael.mulgrew@west-dunbarton.gov.uk)