The Scottish Government

Listen

May 2005
Note - the following is a synopsis of comments made during the meeting. Comments recorded here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Scottish Executive.

ISBN 0 7559 2562 9 (Web only publication)

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF MEETING
WORKSHOP SESSIONS - POINTS ARISING
REPORTING BACK
MEDIATION AND PLANNING
LOCAL PLANS INCLUDING LOCAL PLANNING FORUMS
NEIGHBOUR NOTIFICATION
HOUSING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
PLENARY SESSION
OUTCOMES
ANNEX 1: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
ANNEX 2: AGENDA
ANNEX 3: WORKSHOP 1-PAGERS

National Consultative Group on Planning

1. The built environment is of interest to most people in Scotland. It is one of the things that impacts directly on where people live and work. However, the Scottish Executive's experience suggests that it has proved difficult to engage people in discussions about strategic issues related to planning. People's engagement in planning tends to be reactive (for example, when objections are being made to a specific planning application) rather than proactive, and at a point where it may be too late to influence the process. We are keen to find ways of giving people an earlier, more meaningful involvement in discussion of the more strategic planning issues. Our 2002 consultation paper Getting Involved in Planning contained proposals to enhance and strengthen public involvement in the planning system including seeking comments on a National Consultative Group. Subsequently, Your Place, Your Plan, a White Paper on public involvement in planning, was published in March 2003. It contained a commitment to establish a National Consultative Group on Planning as a means for people from a wide range of interests to put forward and exchange their views on planning, to alert interested parties to current planning issues and to share examples of good practice. The intention is to hear views from across Scotland. The first meeting of this Group took place in Glasgow in February 2004 and the second meeting took place in Dundee on 15 November 2004.

The Scottish Civic Forum

2. The Scottish Civic Forum is a network organisation which was set up to get people more involved in the decisions that affect them. This is done through a variety of means, including the preparation of monthly newsletters on participating in the work of the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament. The Forum also regularly prepares briefing papers on Executive consultation exercises and hosts events across Scotland on topical issues. The role of the Forum in this event was to provide a neutral convenor and to encourage civic organisations to attend. It also provided trained facilitators for some of the workshops; the other facilitators were Max Cowan (an expert on mediation) and Karol Swanson of Planning Aid for Scotland.

3. In its independent role, invitations were issued by the Scottish Civic Forum. These were sent out widely to the Forum's contact list of roughly 2000 as well as interested civic organisations and individuals suggested by Forum council members and local co-ordinators.

4. In addition, the Scottish Executive invited interested parties such as local authorities, community planning partnerships, local rural partnerships, representative business Interests and professional/amenity/ environmental interests. The event was publicised further by advertisements in the Inverness Courier, West Highland Free Press and Aberdeen Press & Journal, and through posters distributed to the relevant Scottish Parliament Partner Libraries. An article was also published on the Rural Gateway website. A list of participants is at Annex 1.

SUMMARY OF MEETING

5. The meeting opened with a short introduction from Debbie Wilkie, Director of the Scottish Civic Forum and convenor of the meeting. She welcomed the group and explained the programme for the day (Annex 2). This was followed by a short speech by Councillor Sandy Park, Convenor of the Planning Committee, the Highland Council; and presentations by Jim Mackinnon, Chief Planner with the Scottish Executive; and Karol Swanson of Planning Aid for Scotland. A brief overview of these speeches/presentations follows.

Councillor Sandy Park

6. Councillor Sandy Park welcomed the group and began by placing the planning system in its historical context, outlining the legislation and types of development plans of the last fifty years. Looking forward, he discussed the current proposals for change to the development plan system with the proposed removal of the two tiers of plans for the majority of Scotland and replacement with City Regions plans for the four major cities and Local Development Plans taking the place of local plans. The development plan was emphasised as a key building block of the community plan as well as the fundamental basis for the making of decisions on planning applications. He stated that it remains important that there is a firm development plan led system based on relevant and up to date plans, whatever they are called and whatever area they may cover - large or small. These plans should also be fully supported by other agencies particularly in their first few years. However, the importance of development plans continues to be lost on the vast majority of the public who tend to react to specific proposals only, much later on in the planning process.

7. Councillor Park addressed some of the reasons for planning being so controversial, for example the length of time a building/mineral site/waste site will exist for, or the wide variation of opinion that a planning department's customers will have. He concluded by stating that Planning Committees and Departments are small scale spenders of the public's Council Tax yet have a huge impact on their quality of life. They owe it to their communities to deliver national initiatives at a local level with a local bias.

Jim Mackinnon

8. Jim Mackinnon followed with a presentation on the planning system. This included an overview of the system in general, describing the different roles of the local and structure plans and explaining the roles of the Scottish Executive and the local authorities. He particularly drew attention to the Executive's role giving advice, making planning policy, monitoring the operation of the planning system, and dealing with the casework of major or controversial planning applications and appeals.

9. The Partnership agreement was highlighted, with its commitment to "improve the planning system to strengthen the involvement of local communities, speed up decisions, reflect local views better and allow quicker investment decisions". The importance of economic development, social justice and environmental protection were shown, but it was acknowledged that with some planning policies and decisions these priorities can and do come into conflict. This theme was to be explored further by the mediation workshop, with the discussion on the extent to which mediation can help reduce conflict and tension in planning.

10. The main criticisms of the planning system were also outlined, for example the out-of-date plans of many local authorities, the length of time to make a decision, and the way in which the community often feels a plan does not accurately reflect their views. These issues may be minimised if the system were to produce quality development, but the reality is that quality is the exception rather than the rule.

11. The three strands to the modernising agenda were outlined - the Review of Strategic Planning, Design, and Public Involvement. The main conclusions from the Review of Strategic Planning are, for example, the publication of the National Planning Framework; the proposed removal of the two tiers of plans for the majority of Scotland and replacement with City Regions plans for the four major cities and Local Development Plans taking the place of local plans; and the change from National Planning Policy Guidelines to Scottish Planning Policies. It was also emphasised that modernisation to development plans requires more than procedural change so that consultation, management, content and delivery are all reassessed. Design was discussed as part of the modernisation agenda, as shown, for example, in the publication of Designing Places and the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning. The PAN on Housing in the Countryside (yet to be published at the time of the meeting) also addresses this subject and was one of the workshop topics on the day.

12. The commitment made by the Scottish Executive in Your Place, Your Plan to engage individuals and communities more thoroughly in the planning process was discussed, with the explanation that as well as holding the National Consultative Group other initiatives are being taken forward. These include building up existing mechanisms for public involvement; requiring planning authorities to give reasons for all planning decisions and make these widely available; and giving Councils the responsibility for carrying out neighbour notification (a workshop topic for the day). As part of increased public participation, it is important to stress local forums, as planning is mainly carried out at a local level. One of the workshop topics, Local Planning Forums, was to discuss in part what these forums should do, who would be involved and what status they would have. Mr Mackinnon also spoke on the consultation on widening the rights of appeal, and the importance of e-planning to providing a modern accessible system. In particular it was noted that many planning authorities have made great progress with their websites and that there would be an opportunity throughout the day and in the e-planning workshop to see and discuss this.

13. Mr Mackinnon concluded by stating the importance of this time for the reform of the planning system, with the Planning Bill constituting an important milestone. The National Consultative Group is a significant element of stakeholder engagement and the Executive is keen to hear the views of the group on its current programme of reform and beyond.

Karol Swanson

14. Karol Swanson began her presentation with an overview of Planning Aid for Scotland's role as an impartial charity formed in 1993 that provides free advice, information and training on planning matters. She outlined the public conception of the planning system as inaccessible and bureaucratic; a process that "happens to them'. It was explained that the barriers to involvement are many, including a lack of resources to assist participants, mistrust of local authorities' attempts at involvement and ' NIMBYism', but there are several ways to overcome them. These include learning the planning language, opening up local debates to include others and cascading the information learned at events through the community. Local people have valuable knowledge to give to planners about their area and the needs of their community. If they say in how they want their communities to develop then the Scottish Executive vision of "strong, vibrant and healthy communities" may become reality.

Workshop and Plenary

15. The meeting then broke into 2 rounds of workshops, with a total of 4 workshops being held in each session. These involved a presentation on e-planning, as well as workshops on Mediation, Local Plans (including Local Planning Forums), Neighbour Notification and Housing in the Countryside. Each group was asked to nominate a Reporter who would summarise the discussions into five key points. Roger Kelly of the Scottish Executive co-ordinated the output from these discussions and reported them back to the whole group in the plenary session. This was followed by a wider discussion. Details of this are set out in the following pages of this report.

WORKSHOP SESSIONS - POINTS ARISING

Attendees were asked in advance to consider which of the four workshops were of particular interest to them and were allocated their preferences where possible. The structure of the day allowed attendees to contribute to two workshops. They were also provided in advance with copies of 1-page handouts for each of the workshops as a way of facilitating discussion and debate. These can be found in Annex 3.

Each workshop was led by an independent facilitator. Members of the workshop were asked to appoint a Reporter who was then asked to provide at least five key points for the Reporting Back session.

Following discussion with the Reporters, Roger Kelly of the Scottish Executive collated the comments from each workshop for the Reporting Back session thus allowing all attendees a flavour of the discussions.

REPORTING BACK

This section provides an overview of the comments made at each of the individual workshops.

Mediation

The Mediation workshops fixed on the need for better debate and more information early on in the plan-making process. This is seen as vital. As far as conflict resolution is concerned, issues at neighbour level, at major application level, and at strategic policy level all require different approaches and one size definitely does not fit all. We should learn from the experience of mediation in other fields (the National School Board Association and churches both use it). Some think that planners do mediation up to a point in pre-application discussions by listening to details of the proposal and explaining details of policy. Mediation is thought useful for contentious PPP projects, but most effective in dealing with neighbour issues where just two sides are involved. And of course many of the points on which mediation is required go well beyond the bounds of planning considerations.

Some see confidentiality as a critical factor in mediation, others think it impractical. There's a need to bring more people into planning to allow a more listening process. We need to accept the clear distinction between mediation and arbitration. Mediation takes time and money, there would be some delay in getting things right. How can it be paid for? As far as it relates to drawing out a better understanding of planning proposals and the various responses to them, some think it might be funded from planning application fees. On planning policies, a role for promoting better information and enhanced debate might be delivered effectively through Planning Aid, though funding would still be required from national or local sources.

Local Planning (Including Local Planning Forums)

The Local Planning workshops were very lively and well attended. "Local plans are being abused" was one strongly-held view, planners and councillors pay them lip service, and disregard them when it suits without proper explanation. The making of policy, and its implementation through development control, should be handled locally. It is wrong for people far away to sit in judgement on local issues. There's a Scottish Executive responsibility to raise awareness of local planning. Council engagement with local communities happens too late in the process - too late to bring forward local options. It is not a true consultation: draft plans reflect combined wishes of developers/landowners and councils rather than what the community wants. Developers get to come back again and again with planning applications, planners' objective judgements are distorted by planning gain, and councillors may say one thing and do another, overturning the planners anyway.

Democracy - one person one vote - doesn't protect the rural planning interest either, since urban votes will always outweigh rural ones. There was a fairly positive view about local planning forums, though one group thought they should be ad hoc rather than continuous "not the same talking heads", and the other thought they should continue the forums some councils have created already. What we must be clear about is that the existing arrangements are not working well. People are not getting proper feedback. Council planning websites (and the Scottish Executive website) are out of date. Community links need to be resourced properly, local businesses need a voice, and councillors need to discuss planning issues and planning applications openly. Rules which restrict the involvement of local councillors in local cases are ridiculous; they fly in the face of local democracy and should be scrapped.

Neighbour Notification

"If the site next to you is being proposed for development, how do you want or expect to hear about it?" participants at the Neighbour Notification workshops were asked. In writing, was the usual choice from the available options, and with enough information to make a judgement about whether to go and find out more. Beyond neighbours, community councils should be notified, and if listed buildings or bad neighbour developments are involved, the method of notification should go wider. The usefulness of these wider methods was briefly touched on: newspaper ads were patchy, better read in some areas than others; site notices and billboards can be made more eye-catching but have maintenance problems; websites and public displays both have a part to play. Some think that e-mail alerts, as used by the Rural Gateway, are a good idea.

The main purpose of both notification and advertisement is to alert people to where they can find fuller information (in the planning office or on the website). They should be helped to understand the kind of considerations relevant to a planning decision. Five final points emerging are these. First, neighbour notification slips should highlight other possible departments (not just planning) from which relevant information might be obtained. Second, topographical issues may affect who is really a neighbour, so third, there should be some discretion with councils to sometimes notify a little more widely. Fourth, the response period should be three weeks and the return date clearly shown. And fifth, neighbour notification should take place at the development plan stage - it's best to engage people early on about proposals that may affect them directly and give them feedback.

Housing in the countryside

Housing in the countryside was dealt with in two busy workshops. One participant asked "Are plans comprehensive enough - and planners understanding enough - to allow technically superior but unusual forms of energy-saving housing?" Planners were too inflexible about housing in the countryside. Provided there was good screening, design should be liberated. At the moment it seems planners get hung up about the look of things and don't think about energy saving and the needs and wishes of residents. Design can get in the way of practicalities. There's a tendency to strive for a picture-perfect kind of countryside that doesn't have any people in it when we need practical solutions for those who use the place. We need a rethink by government of this whole issue. And it would be very helpful to have some good examples, especially of good design for affordable housing.

Five final workshop points. First, while design principles and siting are very important, they should be communicated in a way that is not too prescriptive - diversity is a good thing and people should have some leeway. Just try to avoid the worst excesses and don't stipulate too much. Second, we need to be careful about overpopulating villages and urbanising them. Third, applicants' design statements would be very helpful in assisting people to understand their thinking (and getting involved at pre-application stage might help them to think constructively about some of the local policy issues). Fourth, the character of country roads should be retained (in Highland, single track roads are fine for some places as long as they are well maintained) and the "publicly adoptable standards" should be relaxed to avoid insensitive footpaths and streetlights.. Fifth, and finally, there is general agreement that more housing in the countryside should be encouraged, some differences of opinion about how far the numbers should grow, but a feeling that planners are currently too strict and inclined to be unreceptive to local needs and design solutions.

PLENARY SESSION

In the Plenary Session, Debbie Wilkie (Scottish Civic Forum) invited comments on the theme of the planning system. The following substantive points were made:

• To help encourage public participation in the planning system, a grass roots change is needed to build confidence. Many feel people feel that local democracy is ignored and communities' opinions are discarded. (It was highlighted that planning decisions are made after considering a variety of material considerations, which can include an opposing view from a different part of the community. The Executive's partnership agreement shows the emphasis put on efficiency and inclusion, so it is acknowledged that consultation and involvement are considered important.)
• People generally find it difficult to get involved in planning. Development plans can be difficult to read and interpret.
• Welcome change in Scottish Planning Policy 15 with its encouragement of Housing in the Countryside. There is a strong argument in the local area that supply is falling very short of demand. (The Highland Council has to make a choice between the suburbanisation of Inverness' surrounding countryside and maintaining discrete settlements. The lack of certain services to some areas of Scotland can also be a barrier to building in the countryside.)

Debbie said that these were useful points and would be reflected upon.

The meeting closed at 15.15, with the Group being thanked for their participation and contributions.

OUTCOMES

As a part of its report on the meeting, the Executive agreed to provide an update to attendees on how their input to the NCG impacted on Executive thinking. The outcomes for individual topic areas are highlighted below.

Mediation and Planning

There has been no further progress on work towards the consideration of mediation in planning since the meeting. However, the workshop contributions will form a valuable part of the Executive's consideration of this matter when time and resources permit further work to be taken forward.

Local Plans (including Local Planning Forums)

The workshop discussing local plans raised many useful views and interesting experiences on the important issue of how neighbours are most effectively notified of planning issues when they arise.

There has been no further progress on work towards the consideration of the broader aspects of local planning forums since the meeting. However, the workshop contributions will form a valuable part of the Executive's consideration of this matter when time and resources permit further work to be taken forward.

Neighbour Notification

The workshop discussing neighbour notification raised many useful views and interesting experiences on the important issue of how neighbours are most effectively notified of planning issues when they arise. All the points expressed are being considered by a Scottish Executive working group set up to look at the current practice of neighbour notification and recommend how it should operate under the new system.

It was encouraging to hear support for the Executive's proposal to transfer the responsibility for carrying out neighbour notification from applicants to local authorities. It was felt this would give communities greater confidence in the system. The suggestion from some in the workshops for direct notification to be extended to a much wider area is being considered against the concerns raised that additional burdens and costs would be placed on local authorities. There was also a concern that neighbour notification should not lead to increased delays or additional legal challenges. Useful suggestions were made on: improving the way the notification takes place; what information should be included; when and how long it should take place; and the format of the notifications themselves. Other mechanisms to notify the wider public were suggested to supplement direct notification. These included the greater use of site notices, billboards, email alerts, supermarket displays and improved newspaper advertisements.

The Neighbour Notification working group is currently addressing all the views made as it draws up detailed proposals for legislative change.

Housing in the Countryside

Planning Advice Note 72: Housing in the Countryside was published on 7 February 2005 ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/pan73-00.asp) as part of a package of measures (including Scottish Planning Policy 15 Planning for Rural Development) to help boost the growth of rural areas. The groups' comments were very helpful and were in line with the contents of the PAN. In particular, one the key areas was the need for more design statements when putting in planning applications for rural housing. This is clearly encouraged within the PAN. The overall thrust of the PAN is to create more opportunities for good design which respects the Scottish landscapes and building traditions. This does not exclude carefully considered contemporary designs.

ANNEX 1: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

ANNEX 2: NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING, 30 NOVEMBER, INSHES CHURCH, INVERNESS

Programme

E-Planning demonstration will take place over coffee and lunch breaks

ANNEX 3: WORKSHOP 1 - PAGERS

Mediation in Planning workshop - Background Note

1. Getting Involved in Planning ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/planning/fipc-00.asp), published by the Executive in November 2001) sought views on the use of mediation in planning: whether and when it could be recommended, how it could be funded and arranged. The paper said that mediation, commonly used in business, family and neighbour disputes, might have a useful role to play in planning. For example it might help to resolve disputes between potential developers and objectors at pre-application stage or after a planning application refusal. It may also have a role in resolving objections when a local plan is finalised, before a public local inquiry is held. Successful mediation depends on both promoters and objectors of development being willing to meet and consider compromise. Research in England showed that the main benefits of mediation might be in householder cases. We could see there could be difficulties when one party is a public body with statutory duties. While we thought it was too early to suggest any formal role for mediation in planning, we welcomed views.

2. Your Place, Your Plan ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/ypyp-00.asp), published in March 2003, noted that mediation was held to be useful as an additional option in dispute resolution, but in relatively limited circumstances. Respondents suggested that mediation had the potential to save time and expense, and to help all parties better understand the issues where there were disputes. It was likely to be helpful in relation to householder or other small scale applications, applications contrary to planning policy or where there was significant community interest or opposition. Some respondents queried the value of mediation, commenting that the approaches involved were already a part of current planning practice.

3. Regarding the organisation and funding of mediation, the most prevalent view was that it needed to be an independent service to gain credibility and trust. There was no consensus as to how it should be funded. We noted that there may be merit in mediation in planning in the right circumstances. Our view was also that there is scope for planning authorities to use mediation to reduce the range and number of objections in local plan inquiries.

4. In addition, the Partnership Agreement says that the Executive will examine the mechanisms required for pre-application consultation and mediation in the planning process, including, where appropriate, involvement by local councillors, revising the councillor's code of conduct to assist this, so communities can engage with developers over controversial applications.

5. Attendees at the first NCG meeting reflected similar concerns about mediation with the early involvement of communities, including at the local plan stage, being suggested by a number of people. In addition, the distinction was made between mediation, which would take place once a firm proposal was in the public domain, and early interaction with affected parties or communities before firm proposals were submitted to the local authority.

Issues you may wish to consider for the workshop:

• Have you used mediation in the context of planning? If so, how did it work? What were the circumstances that led you to do this? Was it a positive experience?
• How could mediation in planning attain the "independent" status that consultation respondees said was important? How should such a service be funded?
• To what extent should the Executive become involved? Should it be left to councils to progress this, using professional mediators and others as appropriate?

Local Plans including Local Planning Forums - Background Note

1. It is very important that the views of individuals and the local community are fully considered when decisions are made on planning matters. In order for people to be able to comment they first need to be aware when a proposal is being put forward, right from the preparation of a local plan through to the consideration of a planning application.

2. Publicising the preparation of a local plan, and the proposals contained in it, has traditionally centred around mail drops, press adverts, public meetings and general media coverage. Many people still complain of a lack of awareness of the proposal being put forward in the local plan. Often when an application is put forward they feel frustrated that the principle for that development has already been agreed in the local plan, the existence of which they were not aware.

3. The suggestion that Councils directly notify people who may be affected by proposed policy changes in the development plan was supported by the majority of respondents to the White Paper Your Place, Your Plan (published by the Executive in March 2003) . But while individuals and community groups were strongly in favour of the idea, seeing it as a means of encouraging much better, continuous communication on development plans, local authorities were opposed. Councils suggested that the proposal would have significant resource implications and was likely to lengthen the timescale for local plan production. To improve participation in the preparation of local plans, the Your Place, Your Plan confirmed the Executive's decision to pursue a proposal to supplement traditional forms of publicity with direct notification to neighbours of key proposals in a development plan. As this is an entirely new aspect of the planning system, it is important we design it so that it useful, practical and not overly burdensome, perhaps by focusing on certain types or sizes of proposals.

Your Place, Your Plan paper: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/ypyp-00.asp

Getting involved in Planning consultation paper: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/planning/fipc-00.asp

4. Getting Involved in Planning (published in November 2001) suggested that councils should consider setting up more active consultation arrangements through local planning forums. The Executive noted that these forums could be used to encourage discussion and build up local interest and expertise in the full range of planning issues in an area. Your Place, Your Plan recognised that the consultation responses showed strong support for this idea, although this was qualified by requests for more detailed information on issues such as the remit, status and composition of forums, and how they would fit with existing and developing mechanisms for community involvement.

• In the past how have you learnt about the preparation of your local plan?
• What types of development proposals would you like to be notified about?
• How would you expect to be informed?
• How best can the community be informed to ensure a representative view, rather than only those individuals neighbouring the proposal site?
• If you have experience of local planning forums, what scope do you think they could play in local plan preparation? Who would be involved in these forums? What status would they have?

Housing in the countryside - Background Note

Designing Places, ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/planning/dpps-00.asp) published in November 2001, sets out the Scottish Executive's expectations of the planning system to deliver high standards of design in development, for both urban and rural areas. The design based Planning Advice Note ( PAN) series is another means by which the Executive maintains the profile of design and identify best practice in planning for high quality development. As a follow on to Designing Places, PAN 36 on Housing in the Countryside is being revised to reinforce many of the key themes set out in the original PAN 36 (published in 1991) and to bring the advice up to date in line with the new design agenda.

One of the most significant changes in rural areas has been a rise in the number of people wishing to live in the countryside, while continuing to work in towns and cities within commuting distance. Others wish to both live and work in the countryside. These trends derive from lifestyle choices and technological changes which allow working from home. More people are now also buying second or holiday homes. In addition, leisure and tourism businesses have been increasingly active, for example through timeshare and chalet developments.

It is intended that the advice in the PAN will set out key design principles which will need to be taken into account by applicants when planning a new development, as well as by planning authorities, when preparing development plans and supporting guidance, and deciding on applications.

The intention is to create more opportunities for good quality rural housing which respects the Scottish landscape and building tradition. The advice will not, however, be seen as a constraint on architects and designers wishing to pursue innovative and carefully considered contemporary designs.

In helping to turn the theory into reality, there are a number of key questions which need to be asked:

• Should councils produce more design guides and illustrate the type of quality they expect? If so, what information would be useful to applicants?
• Should there be more use of design statements by applicants? Are there particular elements they should address in rural areas?
• Are there key problems with over engineered roads for rural areas? If so, should the Executive provide guidance specific to rural roads? What are the particular issues for rural roads?

Design Guide - advice and illustrations on how planning and design policies should be implemented in the local area.

Design Statement - should be written by the applicant and explain the design principles and design concept of the proposed layout; landscape; scale and mix; details and materials; and maintenance.

Neighbour Notification Workshop - Background Note

1. It is very important that the views of individuals and the local community are fully considered when decisions are made on planning matters. In order for people to be able to comment they first need to be aware when a proposal is being put forward, right from the preparation of a local plan through to the consideration of a planning application.

Planning Applications

2. There are a number of existing methods used to publicise planning applications. These include letters, site notices, weekly lists, websites and local press adverts. The present neighbour notification system is based upon self-certification by the applicant. It differs from England and Wales where planning authorities have the duty to make sure notification takes place. Getting Involved in Planning (a consultation paper published by the Executive in November 2001) suggested that If authorities carried out neighbour notification, it should be more consistent, the notice should be more accurate, plans and documents would be available for inspection and the period for making representations should correspond to the period when the authority cannot determine the application. This should raise public confidence in the system.

Getting Involved in Planning consultation paper: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/planning/fipc-00.asp

3. The White Paper Your Place, Your Plan (published in March 2003) noted that this proposal was broadly supported by most groups, albeit largely qualified by comments that significant extra resources would be required by councils as a result. Indeed local authorities were mainly opposed to the idea on the grounds that there would be a significantly increased administrative burden, a strain on resources, and potential delays in the processing of planning applications. The Executive's intention is to transfer the responsibility for notifying neighbours by letter from applicants to local authorities.

Your Place, Your Plan paper: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/ypyp-00.asp

4. The Executive considered that there are significant benefits in passing neighbour notification responsibility to local authorities and would therefore be implementing this proposal. It accepted in principle the need for increased fees as a result, and is to examine the appropriate level of any increase building on the existing evidence base. As the Executive moves to this new system there is an opportunity to adjust the existing notification arrangements; for example, only those neighbouring the development site or within 4 metres will receive a notification letter.

• If the site adjacent to you was being considered for development how would you expect to hear about it?
• Should anyone other than the immediate neighbours be directly notified?
• What is your opinion of the usefulness of these methods of notification?
• A local newspaper advert - do you read these? are they easy to understand?
• A site notice - do you stop to look at these?
• A large billboard placed on the site or side of the building - would this be effective?
• A letter through your door - would you respond to this?
• The Council's website. - do you have access? Would you check for new development proposals?
• What other methods could be introduced to notify people of development proposals that may affect them?