Those Mad Staring Eyes

Convenor MacDonald of the RTPI Scotland

You know, when I received my own personal copy of the Scottish Planner this morning it was such a relief! No pictures of fat planners greasing the system in England and Wales - just solid nuggets of information that we can all find useful. If you read this issue carefully you too can become an expert planner - like me.

Well - where can I start? The issue is prefaced by an Editorial from our own wee Nikola Miller - a girl who knows how to cliche like the best of us and who can strangle the English language in a couple of paragraphs. Opposite Nikola's editorial 'thought piece' is the terrifying image of our current Convenor Alistair MacDonald heading up a great commentary on the world of planning as viewed from the top of the Forth Bridge. Those Mad Staring Eyes have you turning the page very quickly but if you do that, those Mad Staring Eyes appear again on the next page too! It's Hammer Horror stuff but let's move on.

Next up we have an article by Sarah McIntosh on her disappearing front garden. I've heard of Brazilians but this is ridiculous - anyway, she is waxing lyrical on the subject and it's definitely worth a read!

But for me the highlight of this issue has to be the article by Michael Wastewater from Fife Council on Planning for Energy. I was gurgling with pleasure as I read it and I have to admit that he is a fountain of ideas and certainly worth a plug. It has to be said that his words flow freely but his ambitions for Fife as the Centre of Excellence for the renewables industry will certainly put the wind up some people. Perhaps the idea that Methil could become something other than a hopeless dump at the edge of civilisation is rather far-fetched but we planners have to hitch our wagon to a star sometimes - even if that star turns out to be a black hole.

All in all this is a great issue of our Journal. It is full of unlocking, shaping, delivering, focusing, contributing, ensuring, expanding and recognising one-size-fits-all approaches to a range of issues close to all our hearts. To have so many breathtaking thought pieces gathered together in just twenty pages is a serious bit of one-upmanship that will hit the Goons in London right between the eyes. Botox Street has nothing on Atholl Crescent - that's the way it is!

My hearty congratulations go out to all those who contributed to this issue. I'm sure the Mad Staring Eyes of the Convenor have electrified and guided your joint performance. I have placed a gold star on my copy and marked it 9/10 in my little black book. Well done everyone!