1 minute read
Business & Industry
from NPF4 Briefing Note
by James Bompas
What Does NPF4 Mean for Business & Industry?
NPF4 is required by law to contribute to six key outcomes, several of which have implications for the business and industrial sector. These include the need to improve equality and eliminate discrimination, and to meet targets relating to the reduction of emissions and greenhouse gases.
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There is a focus within NPF4 on ensuring that recovery from the pandemic within the business and industry sector is sustainable and inclusive, and that investment in the sector will contribute to community wealth building.
NPF4 aims to promote business and industrial uses and to enable alternative ways of working which may have accelerated in popularity post-pandemic, including home working, live-work units, and micro-businesses. Policy 26 (Business and Industry) refers to these types of proposals, stating that they will be supported where it is demonstrated that the scale of the business will not clash with neighbouring areas or amenity.
Under Policy 26 proposals for business and industry must consider the potential impact on sensitive uses, the natural and historic environment, as well as the need for appropriate site restoration at the end of a period of commercial use.
Under NPF4, major developments for manufacturing or industry must be supported by a decarbonisation strategy, which may include details of carbon capture and storage as a means of abating carbon release. The strategy will need to demonstrate how greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes are appropriately abated.
Key Considerations for Future Development
Business and industrial development will be required to contribute to a sustainable and fair recovery from the pandemic, with lower carbon and greener proposals that can help achieve the wider policy ambitions of net zero development for Scotland.
Proposals for new ways of working will be supported following changes to working habits during the pandemic.
Major developments for manufacturing or industry are to be accompanied by a decarbonisation strategy demonstrating how greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes are appropriately abated.
