1 PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 2020-2021 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 ABOUT HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND 4 What we do in the planning system 5 Our staf 6 Our decision -making 6 Efects of Covid 19 7 Response to Covid 19 7 PERFORMANCE MARKERS 9 Placemaking 9 A. Strategic planning 9 B. Development plan engagement 10 C. Development management 12 Capacity building 13 D. Sharing good practice, skills and knowledge 13 E. Evidence and data-sharing 20 Service 20 F. Decision -making timescales 20 G. Service statements and joint working agreements 34 H. Engagement with service users 36 Service improvements 38 PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 3 2020-21 INTRODUCTION This Report details the planning performance of Historic Key areas of our work include: Environment Scotland (HES) from 1 April 2020 to 31 March • providing advice within the planning system 2021. It sets out our role in the planning system and gives an • regulating works on scheduled monuments update on our ongoing work to secure positive outcomes • supporting the development of national plans, for the historic environment. programmes and strategies • designating new sites and places, and reviewing We have prepared the Report in line with the requirements existing designations of the ‘Key Agencies Group Model’ for the Planning • producing historic environment policy and guidance Performance Framework Review Reports. Using this model, • monitoring activities related to our works we have demonstrated how we have performed against the • actively engaging with and training stakeholders, agreed Performance Markers for 2020-21, and described our owners and communities contribution to the planning system under the following • sponsoring awards to promote high quality themes: development • Placemaking • providing advice via Design Review Panels and grant • Capacity building aid applications • Service • supporting works for the conservation and • Service improvements management of historic assets and places The Report gives both quantitative and qualitative evidence The signifcant challenges of this year have afected every area of our performance and highlights the impacts that the of our work. Much of the staf in our Designations team were Coronavirus pandemic has had on our work and service furloughed, and we also had to make procedural changes delivery. to enable designation decisions to be made digitally. This afected our performance against targets in this work area. We have four teams who lead our planning engagement Despite these challenges, we were able to push forward role – Planning, Consents and Advice, Heritage with our programme of business improvement, making the Management Policy, Designations and Business Support. designation process more transparent and easier to engage All four teams sit within the Heritage Directorate. Our key with. aim is to promote consideration of the historic environment at all stages of the planning process. We have continued to exceed our planning and consents target of dealing with 90% of regulatory activities, consultations and decisions within required timescales. We continue to work on ensuring our decisions are open, transparent and easy to understand. PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 4 2020-21 ABOUT HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND We are the lead public body established to investigate, care We want the historic environment to make a real diference for and promote Scotland’s Historic Environment. to people’s lives. A diference to our health, to our economy, to our culture, to our environment. We want heritage to • We care for more than 300 sites of national importance involve everyone so that we all beneft. Our Corporate Plan, all across the country and are the largest operator of paid Heritage for All, sets out our vision and priorities from 2019 visitor attractions in Scotland. onwards. • We look after internationally signifcant archives and Our vision is that the historic environment is cherished, artefacts. understood, shared and enjoyed with pride, by everyone. • We are at the forefront of investigating and researching These are the fve outcomes that we want to achieve and the historic environment and addressing the impacts of that will help us realise our vision: climate change on its future. 1. The historic environment makes a real • We protect our historic places through designations and diference to people’s lives. consents, promote their sustainable development, and 2. The historic environment is looked after, protected provide millions of pounds each year to local communities and managed for the generations to come. to repair and revitalise their historic environment. 3. The historic environment makes a broader contribution to the economy of Scotland and its • We provide advice and guidance about the historic people. environment, and ofer a wide range of training and 4. The historic environment inspires a creative and learning opportunities. vibrant Scotland. 5. The historic environment is cared for and • In every aspect of our work we strive to follow our fve championed by a high-performing organisational values – we are collaborative, professional, organisation. innovative, open and respectful. PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 5 2020-2021 WHAT WE DO IN THE PLANNING Our Planning, Consents and Advice Service provides advice on the potential impacts of development on the historic SYSTEM environment. This advice is often linked to our statutory functions relating to various planning and consenting The Heritage Directorate leads our work in the planning processes. These include listed building consent and system, coordinating the wide range of relevant skills, conservation area consent, and our role as regulator for knowledge and expertise available across HES. This Report scheduled monument consent. We are also a consultation focuses on the work of our Planning, Consents and Advice body for developments requiring an Environmental Impact Service, Heritage Management Policy Team, Designations Assessment. and Business Support Team. These teams, in consultation with others when appropriate, carry out most of our planning Our new Heritage Management Policy Team leads on related activities. strategic planning matters and ongoing development and implementation of heritage management policy and The aim of our work in the planning system is to inform guidance. They also provide advice on the development of and enable good decision-making, so that the historic planning policy and strategies, and engage with strategic environment of Scotland is valued and protected. stakeholders and communities on the management the of the historic environment. This includes supporting Our Designations Team compiles and maintains lists of regional and local development plan preparation and acting nationally important historic buildings, archaeological sites as a Consultation Authority for Strategic Environmental and monuments, gardens and designed landscapes and Assessment. historic battlefelds. They also advise Scottish Ministers on the designation of historic marine protected areas. Our Business Support Team co-ordinates our planning and consenting processes, liaising with applicants and decision- making bodies to ensure we are consistent and on time. The fshing vessel graveyard at Findhorn Bay contains the remains of at least 30 Zulu-type sail-powered fshing drifters used in the late 19th and early 20th century in connection with the commercial herring fshery on the northeast coast of Scotland. The remains were protected as a scheduled monument in July 2020. PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 6 2020-2021 OUR STAFF OUR DECISION-MAKING The Planning, Consents and Advice Service, Heritage Decision-making processes are standardised across the Management Policy, Designations and Business Support Planning, Consents and Advice Service, Heritage Management Teams are specialists with knowledge of architectural history, Policy and Designations Teams, underpinned by a set of sign- archaeology, planning and environmental assessments. We of and quality control procedures. We publish our detailed employ 76 members of staf within the four teams. schedule of governance for decision-making for designations and casework online. Planning, Consents and Advice Service Head of Service 1 Deputy Head of Service 6 Senior Ofcer 17 Ofcer 5 Field Ofcer 6 Graduate Trainee 1 Casework Support Ofcer 1 Team total 37 Designations Team Head of Designations 1 Deputy Head of Designations 3 Senior Designations Ofcer 6 Designations Ofcer 8 Designations Support Manager 1 Designations Support Ofcer 3 Designations Support Assistant 1 Team total 23 Heritage Management Policy Team Head of Heritage Management Policy 1 Deputy Head 1 Senior Ofcer 3 Ofcer 1 Team total 6 Business Support Team Head of Business Support and Improvement 1 Casework Technician 4 Business Support Assistants 5 Team Total 10 TOTAL 76 PLANNING PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK REPORT 7 2020-2021 EFFECTS OF COVID-19 RESPONSE TO COVID-19 In light of the Covid-19 outbreak facing Scotland and the Covid-19 has had a dramatic impact upon all our lives. This world, we have revised our workplan for the immediate includes direct and immediate impacts to how we work, live future. This addresses the direct impact of the outbreak on and socialise. More fundamental is the impact Covid-19 has our organisation, to ensure that we maximise the resources had accelerating changes in our environment. For example, still available to us to contribute to our Corporate Plan and the our town centres have been a focus for our communities