Frequently Asked Questions
The information will be used by both Transport Scotland and Scottish Water. For Transport Scotland this information represents one of the key inputs to their land-use and transport models. It informs those models on the spatial pattern, timing and potential scale of future development. Information on where new houses and workplaces will go will influence future patterns of population, employment and ultimately traffic flows. This information and the models that provide are integral to Transport Scotland’s management and planning of the strategic transport networks.
The information provided by each Planning Authority will be used by Scottish Water to update their Growth Model. The Growth Model uses statistical analysis to balance underlying demographic changes with development projections as a means of determining the size of capacity upgrades required at water and waste water treatment works. The outputs of the Growth Model are used to inform and influence the Capital Expenditure Programme as set out in the Scottish Water Business Plan. They are also be used to identify areas of growth for the Scottish Water Supply Demand Balance Assessment, which measures Scottish Water’s current and future ability to maintain a secure supply to its customers.
2. Which developments do you want me to include in our spreadsheet return?
We would like information on completions since 2006, on sites that have a current planning permission, sites that are identified within a local plan or local development framework and other allocations and sites that have been identified within Master Plans, Capital Programmes and similar, or that you feel will come forward for development in the future.
3. In previous rounds of data collection for Transport Scotland I have provided the information aggregated to defined TELMoS zones. This time, you are asking me to provide the data on a site-by-site basis. Why?
The information you provide will be used by both Transport Scotland and Scottish Water. If it is collected at site level then it can be collected once and then aggregated to TELMoS zone level for Transport Scotland and to treatment zone level for Scottish Water. Also if information is held at site level then it is possible to identify which sites and development proposals are and are not included. The ability to track which sites have been included has proved useful over the past couple of years both in using the model to appraise the impact of specific developments and in responding to a Public Petitions Committee query.
4. For which land-use categories do I need to provide information?
The TELMoS:07 land-use model, models development and change for seven land-uses, residential, retail, office, industrial, leisure and hotel, education and health.
5. How do the TELMoS:07 land-uses relate to the Use Classes of the Use Classes (Scotland) guide?
The relationship between the two sets of land-use definition is shown in the following table.
| Class | Scottish Use Class Order | TELMoS Land-use |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Shops | Retail |
| Class 2 | Financial Professional and Other Services | Office |
| Class 3 | Food and Drink | Retail |
| Class 4 (a) | Office | Office |
| Class 4 (b) | R&D | Office |
| Class 4 (c) | Industrial Process | Office |
| Class 5 | General Industrial | Industrial |
| Class 6 | Storage or Distribution | Industrial |
| Class 7 | Hotels and Hostels | Leisure and Hotels |
| Class 8 (a) and (b) | Residential Care | Health |
| Class 8 (c) | Residential School | Education |
| Class 9 | Houses | Residential |
| Class 10 (a) and (b) | Non residential Institutions | Education |
| Class 10 (c) and (g) | Non residential Institutions | Leisure and Hotels |
| Class 11 | Assembly and Leisure | Leisure and Hotels |
6. Normally my Planning Authority collect land-use statistics on a financial year basis rather than a calendar year. Can I provide the information using time intervals April-March rather than January- December?
We are happy for information on completions and commitments to be provided for financial years where that is more convenient for you. Please can you record the use of financial years in the ‘Notes’ section on the spreadsheet.
In processing the information we will convert financial data to calendar year data. We will assume that 75% of the financial year falls into one calendar year and the remaining 25% into the subsequent year. If you have evidence to support the use of an alternative apportioning, please document this in the notes section.
7. For how far into the future should I provide development data and information?
The TELMoS:07 land-use model will be used to look at changing patterns of development over the period to 2032. To this end we are keen to have information on development proposals and allocations that are likely to come forward between now and 2032.
8. My Authority’s current Local Plan only runs to 2012. We are currently preparing a revision to the plan but it has not yet been adopted. Should I include the allocations that are in the emerging plan?
Where the process of preparing an amendment or new plan has got beyond the stage of considering options and there are areas identified for future development then these should be included. The worksheets include a box to record the source and status of the plan. Please ensure that this is completed. In reporting upon the planning inputs to the model we will ensure that the source (approved plan, draft plan etc) is always referenced.
9. My Authority’s Development Plan assumes that a percentage of future development will come forward on windfall sites. How do I record them?
There is a separate block, within the residential worksheet for recording assumptions on windfalls. Please provide details of the annual assumption for windfalls and the area or settlement to which the assumption applies.
10. My Authority’s Development Plan includes proposals for demolition and redevelopment of several sites. How do I represent these proposals?
Information on demolitions is as important for the TELMoS:07 land-use model as information on new developments. We would like information on planned demolition works, for example as part of housing renewal programmes or redevelopment proposals. The various worksheets contain a block for recording demolitions. There is also the facility to include information on previous use when recording details of proposals for development. Please can you ensure that demolitions are only entered once i.e. either in the block on demolitions or as the previous use where there are plans for development. This will prevent double counting or exaggerated demolition rates within the land-use model.
11. Our employment land database only contains information on the hectarage of sites. Should I provide this information?
TELMoS:07 models floorspace rather than the total area of a site. The ratio of floorspace to site area will vary by development density, storeys and location. In a city centre location an area may be relatively small, but if the development is a ten or twelve storey office block then the quantity of floorspace could exceed the area. Alternatively a site is earmarked for a business or science park then the development may be low density with quality landscaping and plenty of open space. In that case the quantity of floorspace will be only a small percentage of the site area. We would welcome the local planning authorities view on the likely ratio of floorspace to area where the only information that is available is the area. In the absence of this we will make assumptions based upon the location of the site and whether it is in a city centre, town centre, suburb or rural location.
12. Does Transport Scotland and Scottish Water want information on all sites or only those with five or more dwellings?
We would like information on all sites. The proportion of all development that occurs on small sites can be quite significant both in terms of the overall cumulative impacts upon the size of the population and the number of households.
13. My Authority’s employment land database identifies some sites as being available for employment land. How do I record these?
Where possible we would like all sites recorded as being available for office, industrial or one of the other employment land-uses modelled within TELMoS:07. If sites are recorded only as “employment” then we will make an assumption about the proportion of development falling into each employment land-use type. You will have the opportunity to review and revise those assumptions in the first feedback stage. Clearly we would prefer the local planning authorities input to this proportioning as they should have a better feel for the types of development that are likely to come forward within their area.
14. Our monitoring system does not include all of the information that you are requesting.
We have attempted to keep the information required to the minimum and only requested that which is needed by either Scottish Water or Transport Scotland. We believe that most, if not all of this information, is data that will normally be used to inform the development plan process within a planning authority and hence will be of value within the authority as well as for our modelling purposes.
15. My Planning Authority holds information within a GIS system. Can I provide electronic output from this system instead?
Yes. Provided that the GIS output contains all the information that we would collect from the spreadsheet. The provision of shape files for major sites may allow better modelling of large sites that straddle the boundaries of our zones. Rather than assigning the development on the basis of where the (centroid’s) grid reference is located, we will be able to assign the development to a zone(s) according to where the traffic generated by the site will access the strategic transport network, or which treatment plant the development will be served by.
16. Will I have an opportunity to revise the information that we provide?
Yes. Please see the “The Way Ahead” section of the covering email for details of the two-stage feedback process. The feedback process allows you an opportunity to revise the data and to comment on our assumptions and processing of your data before it is made available to your strategic planning authority (where applicable) or to all other planning authorities in Scotland. This ensures that you and your strategic planning authority (where applicable) are content with both the data provided and the way in which the information has been interpreted to provide a development profile extending to 2032.
17. Are the models of use to my Planning Authority?
The TELMoS:07 land-use Model provides a wealth of information on economic growth, future population, household and employment distribution at a small area level. These forecasts are influenced directly by patterns of new development. TELMoS:07 feeds information to the TMfS:07 transport model, which provides a view of future levels of traffic, congestion and transport-generated emissions on the strategic transport network both at a national level and at a local authority area level. The output from both models provides an opportunity for the local planning authority to appraise the impacts of their plan policies and any transport interventions which they may seek to bring forward.
The Scottish Water Growth Model is used to provide a predictive range for development in an area to inform our future business plan. While it does indicate areas where we believe there to be a growth requirement we are only able to invest once we are sure there is a growth requirement. Over the course of our investment period growth projects may be substituted in or out of the programme when a development occurs in an area where there is limited capacity, therefore we are not in the position to publish detailed outputs from the growth programme. When a growth project is brought forward Scottish Water carry out a more detailed review of development needs in order to ensure that the correct level of growth is provided. We will also work with the local authority, developers and SEPA to ensure that growth is managed at the asset while any upgrades are under construction.
Last updated: 11/12/2009
