Scotland’s planning system is entering a significant period of change, with planning authorities now bringing forward a new generation of Local Development Plans under the post-NPF4 framework. Glasgow is among the first councils to reach the Proposed Plan stage, with City Development Plan 2 (CDP2) set to shape development, regeneration and investment across the city for the next decade. With consultation due to commence shortly, attention will inevitably focus on housing numbers, areas of change and new policy requirements. Yet the more important question is whether the Plan sets out a spatial strategy that can turn ambition into delivery.  

The forthcoming consultation provides an important opportunity to review the Proposed Plan, understand its implications for development interests and, where necessary, seek modifications before it progresses to examination. The decisions made through this process will help shape development across Glasgow for years to come. 

Glasgow’s Proposed Plan provides one of the earliest indications of how Scotland’s new generation of Local Development Plans may operate in practice. The new CDP2 combines strategic planning policy, site-specific requirements and supporting guidance within a single framework. It aims to deliver more than 30,000 homes, support major regeneration initiatives and guide investment across Glasgow in the years ahead. Alongside these ambitions, the Plan introduces new considerations including site-specific requirements across 36 areas of change, a city-wide approach to residential density, additional requirements for purpose-built student accommodation and co-living developments, new approaches to developer contributions, and a greater focus on aligning housing, employment and infrastructure investment. 

As with any Development Plan, the headline ambitions only tell part of the story. How will site-specific requirements influence deliverability? What impact could new policy expectations have on viability and investment decisions? Which opportunities are being created, and where might additional constraints emerge? For developers, landowners and investors, understanding these implications will be just as important as understanding the Plan itself.  

The representation period, running from 21 August to 18 November 2026, provides an important opportunity to review the Proposed Plan and ensure that policies, site requirements and allocations are capable of supporting sustainable growth and investment. Whether promoting a site, bringing forward a planning application or considering future development opportunities, now is the time to understand what the emerging framework could mean for your interests.  

Glasgow may be among the first authorities to reach this stage, but it will not be the last. Similar consultations will follow across Scotland as planning authorities prepare the next generation of Local Development Plans, with the decisions being made now influencing development opportunities, planning policy and investment priorities for years to come.