Most importantly, all local planning authorities in Scotland should have a new Local Development Plan (LDP) in place by May 2028, and private for-sale housing is only permitted on sites allocated for housing in adopted LDPs.

With a little over two years to prepare and adopt a new LDP, the timeline envisaged by the Scottish Government is notably more condensed than previously. Reaching the stage where an LDP is ready for adoption within the time allowed may therefore prove a challenge.

As of December 2025, nearly three quarters (74%) of Scottish councils are only at the stage of gathering evidence to inform their LDPs or still undergoing early preparatory work. Many are still actively looking for sites to allocate for development.. Only half a dozen councils have had their initial plans approved the “Gatecheck” system, and are ready to begin preparing a formal Local Development Plan in earnest.

Are we there yet?

As it stands, public consultation and examination processes still await every council, with only a little over two years left to go before the deadline. This is a highly accelerated timeline for the adoption of new LDPs, especially with regards to resourcing in the inspection process.

Savills’ analysis of likely timelines for plan adoption suggests this is unlikely to be achieved. Published timelines suggest 18 councils may successfully adopt an LDP by the end of Q1 2028, but even this is highly optimistic, and assumes no further delays or changes in the process. In addition, several remaining councils will still be at the plan preparation stage, with consultation and examination ahead of them. Full coverage with NPF4-compliant plans is unlikely to occur before 2030.

Progress is being made in some areas. Much of the Central Belt, including Glasgow, East Lothian, Midlothian and Renfrewshire, are on course to adopt plans before the 2028 deadline. The City of Edinburgh and other council areas with large populations such as Fife are likely to follow suit shortly after. By the end of 2028, it is likely that many of Scotland’s largest settlements will be covered by a new and up to date plan.

Where progress is proving more challenging is in more suburban and rural areas, such as Angus, South Ayrshire, and Argyll and Bute, where greenfield sites typically make up a larger share of housing delivery. The lack of a new plan with accompanying allocations alongside a focus on brownfield may make identifying and bringing forward adequate sources of housing supply more challenging in these locations. Partly as a result, these councils are not expected to adopt new Local Development Plans until 2030 or beyond.

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