Planning Aid Scotland

Support the next generation of planners…

We are looking for experienced planners for our Licentiate Mentoring Scheme. Support a Licentiate Planner to respond to an Advice Service case – around 2 hours/month from Jan to June 2026.

📧Contact jo@pas.org.uk for more info.

🔗Learn more: lnkd.in/eBZKpuYH

📢We’re #hiring: We are looking for an efficient and experienced colleague to join our team as a #Governance & #Finance Officer. You will be responsible for governance, finance, people, and office systems and processes...

📅 Deadline: 15 October
🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/governance-finance-officer

📢We’re #hiring: We’re looking for a new Chief Executive to lead Planning Aid Scotland into the next exciting chapter. Are you a dynamic & inspiring leader who shares our passion for putting communities at the heart of #planning...

📅 Deadline: 5pm 14 October
🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/new-chief-executive

♻️⚡️ New Information Sheet on Consenting Processes for Renewable Energy Developments

Do you have renewable energy projects in your area and want to understand more about proposals such as a new wind farm, solar farm, hydro scheme or battery storage project?

Read here: www.pas.org.uk/wp-content/u...

We’re at the DTAS Conference in Glasgow today!

Find our team at Stand 8 to chat all things planning & community engagement.

Yesterday's highlights: renewable energy, planning questions & support for Development Trusts. Looking forward to more today. Pop by and say hello!

@dtascotland.bsky.social

We’re at the Development Trusts Association Scotland Conference today!

Come and meet the Planning Aid Scotland team at Table 8. We’d love to chat about placemaking, community engagement and planning.

@dtascotland.bsky.social #DTAS2025

Local Place Plans: A Survey of Community Experiences - Planning Aid Scotland Share your perspectives on Local Place Plans

The deadline for the Local Place Plans survey has been extended to 15 Sept. We want to hear from you:

- What's working well?
- Where is more support needed?
- How can the process be improved?

Please share widely with your network. Thank you!

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/localplaceplancommunitysurvey

A new chapter… - Planning Aid Scotland Planning Aid Scotland’s Chief Executive, Johanna Boyd, is stepping down after successfully leading the organisation for three years.

Today, we announce a change of leadership at Planning Aid Scotland as Johanna Boyd, our Chief Executive, has announced she will be stepping down from the role at the end of October.

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/a-new-chapter/ @johannaboyd.bsky.social

Integrity, impartiality, collaboration, inclusion, innovation – these aren’t just words, but the building blocks for everything we do as an organisation.

Why? We believe in an inclusive society where communities are empowered to shape decisions about their place.

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/newstrategy

Hear from @johannaboyd.bsky.social on her experience of #leadership, the complexities of leading in the current climate, and the values today’s leaders need to navigate these uncertain times.

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/leadership-in-uncertain-times/

#CharityLeadership #ValuesBasedLeadership

Having supported seven communities in 2024 to develop Local Place Plans, it is great to see this work come to fruition with the plans being registered with their respective councils.

🔗Gairloch #LPP is the latest to be registered – read it online: www.pas.org.uk/news/update-on-local-place-plans/

Find out what we've been up to by subscribing to our quarterly newsletter:

-Get to know our volunteers
-Learn about a new survey on Local Place Plans
-Read insights into our Advice Service

🔗Subscribe: subscribepage.io/planningaids...
🔗Read the July newsletter: preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...

In this blog, we meet David, a volunteer who has been invaluable in helping us develop content for our Graduate Training Scheme. David is passionate about playing an active role in his community and got into planning to help create wonderful places.

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/meet-david/

✏️𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 – 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂!

Share your experience in our survey and help identify what’s working well, where more support is needed, and how the #LPP process can be improved.

Please help by sharing the survey link.

🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/localplaceplancommunitysurvey/

Our next Community Engagement Skills Training is in Glasgow! 1 Oct 2025 at 10am. Cost: £250.

Places for our upcoming SP=EED training are filling fast, don’t miss your chance to gain practical tools and techniques for meaningful community engagement.

Book here: forms.office.com/e/0ye5beRm3V

One participant said they valued the “good variety of exercises and engagement methods”, while another highlighted the benefit of “learning different approaches and ideas from others” and “working together in group-based learning”.

#SP=EED #CommunityEngagement #TrainingScotland

Recently we brought our SP=EED training to Edinburgh, and what an energising session it turned out to be!

Focusing on best practice in community engagement, the training was hands-on and highly interactive, giving participants a chance to learn by doing.

#SP=EED #ScotlandTraining

We are pleased to launch the Local Walking and Wheeling Action Plan for Kelty. Developed in collaboration with @fifecouncil.bsky.social and the local community, this plan reflects local priorities.

🎥 Watch the video to see how community voices shaped the plan: www.facebook.com/watch/?v=108...

🟡 Last few places remaining!

Join us in Edinburgh on 18 June at 10am for our next SP=EED® training — a full day of learning focused on the best practice in community engagement.

Cost: £250 per person
Local authority staff: 20% discount available (£200)

Book here: forms.office.com/e/XDZ3JH3nkC

If you’re RTPI chartered or have retired from RTPI chartership, you can join Graham and volunteer for our Advice Service – providing free planning advice to members of the public and community groups.

This #VolunteersWeek we celebrate our volunteers.
➡️Join us! www.pas.org.uk/what-we-do/volunteering

This #VolunteersWeek, join us in getting to know some of the people at the heart of Planning Aid Scotland, our volunteers!

In this blog we meet Arushee, who has volunteered with us on various projects, including in Nairnshire and Stonehaven. www.pas.org.uk/news/meet-arushee/

Our volunteers were an integral part of the Sustaining Choices project, working with our Projects & Training Officer, Diane Cassidy to run engagement events, analyse data and develop maps. As Diane says, “They’re skilled in many areas, not just planning. We’re so lucky to have them.” #VolunteersWeek

Our volunteers gave 900+ hours of their time in 2024/25, generously offering their expertise to help people across Scotland engage with the planning system.

This #VolunteersWeek, we would like to celebrate their invaluable contribution. Thank you!👏

A reminder about upcoming training sessions for Planning Aid Scotland volunteers!

➡️2:30pm, 20 May: Flood Resilience and Climate Impact in Planning
➡️12:30pm, 11 June: A Brief History of Planning

Please check the newsletter for more information and the links to join.

💬Join us in getting to know some of the people at the heart of Planning Aid Scotland, our volunteers!

In this first blog post we meet Graham Marchbank, a retired planner who has volunteered with us for 10 years.

➡️Read his top tips and fun facts on planning: www.pas.org.uk/news/meet-graham/

We presented to @cosla.gov.uk Environment & Economy Board on Elected Member Training.

Our Chief Executive Johanna Boyd @johannaboyd.bsky.social and Planning & Policy Manager David Wood shared our routemap and engaged with representatives from 32 Scottish Councils and Heads of Planning Scotland.

Community Engagement Skills Training

• Edinburgh – 18 June, 10am (The Crannie) – forms.office.com/e/XDZ3JH3nkC
• Glasgow – 1 October, 10am (Edward House) – forms.office.com/e/0ye5beRm3V

Cost: £250 per place

Build confidence in consulting and engaging communities using the SP=EED framework.

Anne Krippler, our Planning & Projects Officer was delighted to attend the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social Scottish Young Planners' Conference today on 'The Purpose of Planning'. "What a great day – we were encouraged to be bold, speak up, and keep pushing the boundaries of planning." #SYPC25

🚶‍➡️We worked with communities in Ruthrieston, Fa’side, Eskdalemuir and Kelty to develop Local Walking and Wheeling Action Plans—bringing together the thoughts of 650+ people and outlining ways to encourage active travel.

➡️The reports are available on our website: www.pas.org.uk/news/new-action-plans/

Interested in our Licentiate Mentoring Scheme? Following the success of the second round, we take a look at how it works and share some of the feedback we received!

Find out what the participants had to say: www.pas.org.uk/.../celebrat....