Putting Power In The Hands Of Communities
Thriving communities are the foundation of a fair, resilient & democratic Scotland.
When people have real power over the places they live, communities are healthier, more prosperous and better able to respond to social, economic and climate challenges. But too often decisions are taken far from the communities they affect, civic space is shrinking, and communities are left navigating complex systems without the support or resources they need.
The Scottish Greens will rebalance power towards communities by embedding participation, transparency and local decision-making at every level of government. We will strengthen democratic infrastructure so that communities are not simply consulted, but actively shape planning, investment and public services. This means supporting deliberative democracy, honouring Local Place Plans, and ensuring planning serves public need rather than private profit.
Thriving communities also require healthy places: clean air, safe streets, accessible green space and vibrant town centres. We will give councils the tools to revive high streets, repurpose empty buildings, and ensure development contributes to wellbeing, climate resilience and nature recovery.
By investing in democratic capacity, civic space and place-based power, we will build communities that are confident, connected and equipped to thrive.
- Provide sustained, long-term funding for community organisations and intermediaries delivering essential local services, such as local housing projects and operating community shops, pubs and meeting spaces.
- Defend civic spaces such as community centres and halls, ensuring communities have space to come together and organise.
- Strengthen compulsory purchase and compulsory sale powers so councils and communities can bring vacant and derelict land and buildings back into use, supporting local economies, employment and cultural spaces, and developing Community Wealth Building capacity.
- Support councils to revive town centres by repurposing empty commercial property into workspace, cultural and community uses.
- Deliver cleaner air in communities by supporting expanded Low Emission Zones, stronger monitoring, and action on engine idling and harmful emissions.
- Support local living and 20-minute neighbourhood approaches so people in urban, rural and island communities can access everyday services, green space and employment locally, reducing car dependency while reflecting different place-based realities.
- Require Local Place Plans to be honoured by local planning authorities, ensuring that they are given due weight by Scottish Government reporters, and support communities to develop plans where none exist.
- Deliver the new commitments in the National Planning Framework to create a nature-positive planning system that enhances biodiversity, supports climate adaptation and serves community wellbeing.
- Introduce a community right of appeal in planning where decisions depart from agreed plans or officer recommendations.
- Create a decentralised Design Academy for Communities, providing skills in facilitation, planning and democratic process design, as well as legal and other advice needed for communities to play a full role in public life.
- Embed the use of citizens’ assemblies in public decision making, including by establishing a standing national Climate Assembly and supporting local and regional assemblies, building on the success of the Dunfermline City Assembly model.
- Pilot a Community Wealth Fund to support locally-owned green enterprise, including wealth generated from renewables.
