Introduction

The planning system guides the future development and use of land in cities, towns and rural areas in the long term public interest. The aim is to ensure that development and changes in land use occur in suitable locations and are sustainable. Maintaining and enhancing the environment is also a primary objective. The preparation of Development Plans provides a land use framework within which investment and development can then take place with confidence.

Implementation of the National Waste Plan (NWP) and Area Waste Plans will result in a significant increase in the number of facilities to sort, reduce, recycle and process waste before its final disposal. Although this will lead to less demand for landfill capacity in the future, there will continue to be a need for new landfill sites to deal with residual waste when existing ones reach the end of their lives and close.

The lead times required for delivering waste infrastructure together with National Planning Guidance and European Directive requirements to move away from reliance upon landfill, make it essential for planning authorities to consider the need for new facilities. This will ensure that Scotland maintains an adequate capacity to handle its waste now and in the future.

The role of the land use planning system is to provide a policy and land use framework that supports delivery of a network of sustainable waste management infrastructure facilities.

SEPA has an important role to play in this process as a consultee, when commenting on both Development Plans and planning applications.

As part of this role, and our wider role of promoting the objectives of the National Waste Strategy, it is considered important to highlight the importance of waste management and the need for new infrastructure with key decision makers, along with providing objective information and guidance hence SEPA also has an awareness raising role.

Awareness Raising

During September 2005 SEPA, in partnership with the Scottish Executive, delivered a series of awareness raising seminars for Local Authority decision makers to highlight the important role of the planning system in helping support the essential move to better ways of managing Scotland's waste. These seminars highlighted the planning implications of delivering the National Waste Plan, and outlined the financial, environmental and economic reasons for a move to sustainable waste management.

More information and to view the presentations given at the seminars is available here

Following on from this work more local awareness raising events for Local Authority decision makers continue to be delivered in partnership with Local Authority staff

Study Tour to Denmark and Sweden

During Spring 2006, SEPA organised two study tours to Denmark for Local Authority decision makers to see how sustainable waste management was being delivered in a country of similar population as Scotland. A range of integrated waste management facilities were visited to see first hand what the facilities looked like, where they were sited, the processes carried out and the potential for energy recovery. 

For more information, including the feedback report and copies of the presentations given during the tours, please click here

A dvd of the study tours was produced and is available by contacting: publications@sepa.org.uk

In November 2007, SEPA organised a further study tour for Local Authority decision makers to view waste facilities in Denmark and Sweden. Copies of the presentations and the feedback report will shortly be posted here. This particular study tour also included presentations from representatives of a Danish Non Governmental Organisation and Planning Authority.

Shetland Waste to Energy Plant and District Heating Scheme

Also as part of this awareness raising work, more information on a dvd produced of the Shetland Waste to Energy Plant and associated district heating scheme is available. For a copy of the DVD please contact publications@sepa.org.uk


Technical Study Tour to Bavaria

During August 2006 a technical study tour by SEPA technical staff was undertaken to Bavaria to look at waste recycling, thermal treatment , composting and the regulatory system and to exchange information and knowledge. A feedback report is available here