Changes to the Scottish Planning System
The Planning (Scotland) Act 2006 has introduced substantial changes to key components
of the planning system, including changes to development planning and development management.
The
procedures and assessment of planning applications changed from August 3rd, 2009. Some of the changes worth noting are the
following:
Neighbour Notification will be carried out by the local
authorities (councils) themselves, not the applicant or applicant’s agent
In
order to validate applications, more detailed drawings/plans will be expected of applicants.
Councils
will implement a new Scheme of Delegation for local developments.
Appeals
on local development planning decisions will be decided by a Local Review Body made up of elected members of the council.
Design Statements will be required for developments within a Conservation Area,
National Scenic Area, within the boundary of a Listed Building, or in the case of developments classed as major.
From April 6th, 2009, developments fell under a new hierarchy, consisting of national,
major and local developments. Pre-application consultation on national and major developments allows local communities to
contribute their views before a planning application is submitted. As a matter of good practice, pre-application consultation
(PAC) could also be beneficial for developments which fall into the local developments category, although this is not mandatory.
Before pre-application consultation starts, the prospective applicant should submit
a Proposal of Application Notice to the Planning Authority. This starts the consultation process. As a minimum, there has
to be at least one public meeting, which must be advertised at least seven days in advance in a local newspaper. Pre-application
consultation does not replace the opportunity for individuals and communities to express their formal views during the course
of the planning application.
