Overview of the Act Development planning Section 1:  Purpose of planning
6.Section 1 of the Act inserts Part 1ZA, comprising section 3ZA, into the 1997 Act. This provides that the purpose of planning is to manage the development and use of land in the long term public interest. Subsection (2) states that anything that contributes to sustainable development or achieves the national outcomes is to be considered to be in the long term public interest.
7.Subsection (3) of section 3ZA states that the purpose applies only to the Scottish Ministers’ and planning authorities’ functions under parts 1A and 2 of the 1997 Act. Part 1A of the 1997 Act deals with the National Planning Framework and Part 2 deals with local development plans and other aspects of the development plan.
8.Subsection (3) of section 1 of the Act repeals sections 3D and 3E of the 1997 Act, which relate to sustainable development and are now superseded by the purpose.