Don't miss our free training sessions:
✏️Local Place Plans...4 March
💬How to engage your community...11 March
🚲Making active travel happen through LPPs...12 March
📋Creative approaches to community engagement..19 March
🔗Register now: bit.ly/pas-training
We are delighted to welcome Cherie as our new Chief Executive!
“I’m excited to get out there, have these conversations and support communities to play a leading role in shaping the future of their places...”
🔗Read Cherie's reflections on her first few weeks: www.pas.org.uk/news/welcomecherie/
Understanding and using planning as a cycle campaigner: 7pm, Wed 25 Feb
Join David Wood – our Planning & Policy Manager – for the final in @cyclingukscotland.bsky.social mini-series of webinars. David will explore how cycle campaigners can better understand planning and place in Scotland.
Join our #DigitalMapping #Hackathon – open to abilities, from beginners to experienced #GIS users. Explore the ‘best’ places to live in #Edinburgh whilst learning a new skill in a fun and supportive environment.
📅10am–3pm, Fri 20 Feb
📍Our office, Edinburgh
📧Limited spaces! Email jo@pas.org.uk
A reminder about upcoming training sessions for volunteers. Check recent newsletters for more info and the links to join.
➡️21 Jan: Insights from the Just Neighbourhoods? research
➡️22 Jan: Community-led planning in Morvern
➡️25 Feb: Learn how to communicate with non-planners
@justclp.bsky.social
🎊 Congratulations to all newly Chartered RTPI Scotland members! Now we need your help...
Please consider supporting our Advice Service. Help us answer questions from people across Scotland who need planning advice. Your expertise could make a real difference!
📧 Contact jo@pas.org.uk for more info.
@heriotwattuni.bsky.social @heriotwattnews.bsky.social @glasgow.ac.uk
15.01.2026 16:09 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Graduating soon? Join us in February for the next round of our #Graduate Training Scheme.
Hear from experienced #planners and get a solid understanding of essential topics every new planner needs to know.
🔗 www.pas.org.uk/news/graduate-training-scheme/
📧 Email jo@pas.org.uk to register interest.
⭐Additional tickets released!⭐
Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for the first in our series of FREE online training sessions. These sessions cover a variety of topics from community-led planning to renewable energy.
🔗Book your place: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/planning-a...
As 2025 wraps up, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who's supported us this year!
Our volunteers who contributed 700+ hours of their time, our staff and board, partners, funders, and everyone in between – you’ve helped us make a real difference.
Wishing you a restful festive break and happy New Year!✨
We're delighted to welcome Cherie Morgan as our new Chief Executive, joining us in Feb 2026.
With nearly 30 years in the third sector, Cherie brings a wealth of experience in community engagement, inclusive participation, and placemaking.
🔗 Full announcement: www.pas.org.uk/news/chief-executive/
📢 Update: We are working with the Scottish Government and @improvserv.bsky.social on online training for elected members – enhancing decision-making across #Scotland and building confidence in the #planning system.
🔗This NEW blog outlines the format and timeframe: blogs.gov.scot/planning-arc...
As we near the end of the year, we have a lot to update you on. In this edition we talk about:
-Our AGM
-Our visit to Shetland
-Dates for Community Engagement Skills Training
-Licentiate Mentoring Scheme
🔗Subscribe: subscribepage.io/planningaids...
🔗Read: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/2073...
“Plan with communities, not just for them.”
That’s the message shared by our Planning & Projects Officer, Anne Krippler MRTPI, in her article “Planning Together: Moving Beyond the Minimum”, published in the Autumn Issue of The Scottish Planner (p.15).
Read here: www.rtpi.org.uk/media/05zait...
Our new article “The enduring importance of town planning in Scotland” has been published.
It reflects on Scotland's proud planning tradition and explores how the system is evolving.
Read it here: www.pas.org.uk/news/the-end...
We’re delighted our energy consents guide is getting great feedback across Scotland.
Dr Fiona Simpson MRTPI, Chief Planner, said: “I think it is excellent – very well presented, with really clear information that will be very helpful for people.”
Read the guide here: www.pas.org.uk/wp-content/u...
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
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
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/
