Planning and development

Topic sections

Soil in planning
Soil, development planning & SEA
Soil, development management & EIA
Maps and data
Useful links

Soil in the planning system - why do we care?

The purpose of planning is to manage the development and use of land in the long-term public interest.

Soil is a key part of our environment and is effectively a non-renewable resource. However, soils can be damaged by activities associated with development. Soil degradation can have major implications not just for soils and the benefits they provide but also for air and water quality as well as our climate, biodiversity and economy. Proper consideration of soils through the planning system is needed to make sure that soils can deliver essential functions vital for the sustainability of Scotland’s environment and economy.

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) is the national spatial strategy for Scotland. It sets out spatial principles, regional priorities, national developments and national planning policy. Policy 5 sets the context for soils in Scotland. However, many of the policies within NPF4 are interdependent and should not be viewed in isolation. The impacts of development on soil can affect, and be affected by, several other policies, including tackling the climate and nature crises.

The intention of Policy 5 is to protect carbon-rich soils, restore peatlands and minimise disturbance to soils from development, with the outcomes being:

valued soils are protected and restored;
soils, including carbon-rich soils, are sequestering and storing carbon;
soils are healthy and provide essential ecosystem services for nature, people and our economy.

Development proposals will only be supported if they are designed and constructed:

in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy by first avoiding and then minimising the amount of disturbance to soils on undeveloped land;
in a manner that protects soil from damage including from compaction and erosion, and that minimises soil sealing.

Development proposals on prime agricultural land, peatland, carbon rich soils and priority peatland habitat will only be supported under specific circumstances and a detailed site assessment will be required to inform project design. For more information go to NPF4 Policy 5.

Soil, development planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

Development plans should protect locally, regionally, nationally and internationally valued soils, including land of lesser quality that is culturally or locally important for primary use.

The effects of public plans and strategies on the environment are considered through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This includes taking account of their impact on soil.

The consideration of soils through SEA, plan preparation and review will help guide development activities in a way that avoids or limits damage to soils and soil functions while providing a range of benefits for people and the environment.

Find out more: Guidance on consideration of soil in Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Soil, development management and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Any proposal that includes physical development or changes in land use or land management will affect soil and could have consequences for the wider environment, society and the economy. The consideration of soil as part of the development management process will help identify appropriate mitigation to minimise soil degradation and maintain soil quality.

NatureScot has developed guidance to help provide consistent advice on peatland, carbon-rich soils and priority peatland habitats in development management.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) looks at the impacts of major projects on the environment and makes sure that they are fully investigated, understood and considered before decisions are made on whether they should proceed.

EIA screening and scoping procedures, as well as the assessment process itself, should consider the effects of developments on soil. This should include the impacts on soil during construction, operation and decommissioning. EIA should use available soil information to assess the extent of resources, but this should also be complemented by more detailed field observations to assess the impact of the development and work out options for restoration or mitigation.

You can find out more about the assessment of impacts on soils in Environmental Impact Assessment Handbook - volume 5 (Appendix 4).

Accessing soil and Land Capability maps

Whether you are interested in development planning or making an initial assessment of a specific site, there is a range of soil and land capability maps and datasets where you can find useful background information. You should use the highest resolution datasets available for your area of interest.

The National soil map of Scotland and the Soil map of Scotland (partial cover) provide useful background information on the types and properties of soils at national and regional scales. The more detailed Soil map of Scotland (partial cover) covers the main areas of cultivated land, including the land around many towns and cities.
The Carbon and Peatland 2016 map shows the likely presence of carbon-rich soils, deep peat and priority peatland habitat across Scotland at a coarse scale.
The National scale Land capability for agriculture map and the Land capability for agriculture (partial cover) map show the location of prime agricultural land. The more detailed Land capability for agriculture (partial cover) map covers the main areas of cultivated land in Scotland, including the land around many towns and cities. Where it exists, the Land capability for agriculture (partial cover) map is seen as the definitive mapped assessment and should be used in preference to the National scale map. Find out more on the JHI website: Land capability for agriculture.

However, for assessing the likely impact of a specific development on a particular site you will more than likely need to carry out a more detailed site investigation.