Putting this development in context, the Minister stressed that recycling alone was not sufficient to meet future Waste Strategy objectives and that the planning system had to recognise the need for appropriate facilities to be in place if targets were to be met.

CIWM President Alistair Lamont welcomed the planning review, highlighting the recent indicators of unprecedented climate change as a worrying illustration of the need for a concerted and integrated approach by all relevant parties towards sustainable development.

The revised document will replace the current National Planning Policy Guideline 10: Planning and Waste Management (1996). This revision is needed to take into account fully the EU requirements to divert waste from landfill and the provisions of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland (1999). Additional context arises from the National Waste Plan (2003) and the 11 Area Waste Plans that provide locally based solutions for the strategic planning of an integrated network of waste management facilities. The emphasis in the future will be on effective waste management covering all waste streams, entailing a range of sizes and types of facilities.

This announcement follows closely behind the consultation period for Planning Policy Statement 10: Planning for Sustainable Waste Management, the equivalent policy document for planners in England. However, while sharing the same objectives, the Scottish Guide will be developed independently of this publication.

The Scottish Executive will be forming a stakeholders group to assist in the revision process.