Petitioner: George M Chalmers
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
30 April 2014
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to clearly define, for the sake of good order within the planning system, the criterion which allows developers to ignore or avoid the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009, with particular regard to Major Development applications.
Summary:
17 June 2014: The Committee took evidence from George Chalmers. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, Heads of Planning Scotland, Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland, Planning Aid for Scotland, Alison McInnes MSP and Nanette Milne MSP. Link to Official Report 17 June 2014 (589KB pdf)
28 October 2014: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 28 October 2014
13 January 2015: The Committee agreed to close the petition, under Rule 15.7, on the basis that the Scottish Government has responded to the petition and stated that it does not intend to take additional actions on the points made by the petitioner. Link to Official Report 13 January 2015
Written Submissions:
Is this Scottish Planning Regulation fit for purpose? Not if Aberdeenshire Council’s statement that “the developer could have submitted 18 separate applications for 18 homes if they had so wished” is a legitimate option?
Should applications be considered in isolation? I would suggest not.
The simple solution is for planning authorities to be given the power to consider multiple applications for the same site as one development.
The ambiguous statements by the Scottish Minister for Local Government and Planning “nature of the development” and “it is for the applicant to decide what size of development they wish to apply for” require clarification by the Scottish Government.
What constitutes a “development”?