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The planning system affects our whole environment. It is responsible for the physical structure and design of where we live and work. For instance, planning decides where new homes will be built, where schools, hospitals and shops will be located and considers sites for play parks and wind farms. Basically, planning shapes Scotland's communities.
The way in which applications for planning permission are dealt with by your council is changing. The Scottish Government is consulting on how this is to be done and wants to hear your views on how these proposals affect everyone regardless of age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation or religious belief.
This summary sheet sets out the main proposals affecting how you and your community will be able to get more information on local planning issues and get involved in the planning of your area. It focuses on "development management" which is about how applications for planning permission are considered. Details of how to get copies of the full consultation paper are set out below.
Summary of proposed changes to development management
- For some larger and more complex developments, the developer will be required to carry out pre-application consultation - to consult with the community before an application is formally submitted to your council.
- If you live near a proposed development, there are proposals to change how you will be made aware of the application - this is called neighbour notification. In future this will be carried out by the planning authority rather than the applicant and you will have more time to comment on the proposal.
- Certain applications will require a design and/or access statement setting out how design, and in some cases also access for disabled people, have been considered in the proposal.
- The weekly list of applications that currently goes to your community council will have more information on each application and should be made available at your local library. Planning authorities will also advertise where you can see the list.
- Some applications will be subject to enhanced scrutiny including opportunities for you to speak at a hearing before the planning authority makes a decision.
- Other applications will be considered by planning officers with any appeal to a local review body made up of councillors rather than to Scottish Ministers.
- Planning authorities will prepare reports on each application, containing relevant information on their handling of the case, and put them on the planning register.
- Planning authority decision notices will set out more information in order to make them more useful documents and if you comment, either for or against, on an application, the planning authority will send you a copy of its final decision.
What can I do to help?
This is only a summary of the main proposals and you may want to look at the full consultation paper before sending in your comments. You can access it on the internet ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Planning/Modernising) where it can be downloaded for free. As well as comments on the proposals, Ministers are also looking for information on the potential impacts on different groups of society. Therefore we would also appreciate any comments on the partial Equalities Impact Assessment included in the consultation.
Please send any comments you have on the proposals by 2 April 2008 to:
Development Management Consultation
Planning Modernisation and Co-ordination
Area 2H Bridge
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Or e-mail dmconsultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
What happens next?
Ministers will consider all the comments received before putting secondary legislation before Parliament around autumn 2008. It will then be for Parliament to consider these proposals.
Ministers will also publish the comments made and a report setting out how these were taken into account. If you send us comments, we will make sure that you are kept informed of Ministers' final view.
The wider planning modernisation programme
This is one of a number of consultations on changes to the planning system such as amendments to development planning and enforcement procedures. Details are available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Planning/Modernising.
And finally, your views are important and we look forward to hearing from you.
If you have any queries about this summary or the full consultation, please contact the Planning Helpline on 08457 741741.
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