21st September 2026
Scotland wants economic growth, new housing, renewable energy and major infrastructure projects. But according to a new report from the CBI, one of the biggest obstacles may be something rather less dramatic: the planning system.
The CBI's new Planning for Growth: Scotland report argues that planning has become too slow, complicated and inconsistent. Business leaders say the same problems come up repeatedly: applications take too long, requirements vary between authorities and there are not enough planning professionals to deal with the workload.
The scale of the staffing problem is striking. The CBI says planning expenditure by Scottish local authorities has fallen by 28.6% in real terms since 2010/11. At the same time, around 150 planners graduate each year, compared with an estimated requirement for about 700 over the next 10 to 15 years.
The organisation wants planning fees to be ring-fenced so that money paid by developers for applications goes back into the planning service. It also proposes more shared planning services between councils and specialist planning hubs capable of dealing with complicated projects such as offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and data centres.
Speed is another major concern. The CBI argues that Scotland needs clearer statutory timescales and a simpler system for major developments, with information requirements dealt with earlier rather than applications repeatedly being stopped while more information is requested.
This matters particularly in areas such as the Highlands, where large energy and infrastructure projects can involve several different consenting processes. The CBI is calling for a more joined-up system covering land planning, energy consents and marine developments.
Housing is also part of the argument. The report calls for housing to be treated as economic infrastructure and proposes a national target of at least 25,000 new homes a year.
There is an important point here for rural Scotland. Planning reform is not simply about getting large developments approved more quickly. If Scotland cannot provide enough housing, industrial land, electricity connections and infrastructure, businesses may find it harder to expand and workers may find it harder to live in the communities where jobs are being created.
The CBI also wants much greater use of digital technology and artificial intelligence to reduce routine work for planners, along with a national system for measuring planning performance.
Whether all of these proposals are practical is a matter for government and local authorities to consider. The CBI is, after all, representing the interests of business. But its central message is difficult to ignore: if Scotland wants investment and economic growth, it needs a planning system capable of handling the investment when it arrives.
For places such as Caithness, that could be particularly important. Energy, infrastructure, housing and industrial projects are all areas where the Highlands could see significant investment. The question is not simply whether projects can attract money. It is whether the planning and infrastructure systems can turn that money into actual construction, jobs and economic activity.
Read the CBI Scotland report: Planning for Growth: Scotland