Chisholm to support third party planning appeals
14 Dec 04
Communities Minister believed to be backing environmental ahead of business interests
It is reported today that Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm is likely to back environmentalists' calls to establish a legal right to appeal for third parties affected by planning applications.
According to the Scotsman, Mr Chisholm, who is due to go to the Cabinet with a recommendation on the issue, will come out in favour of environmental considerations, going head to head with the business community which is strongly opposed to the measure.
Third party right of appeal exists in Ireland but has been rejected in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and business leaders fear that the adoption of such a process in Scotland would slow up business development here.
The Executive is understood to be preparing a white paper for publication in the spring, followed by a Planning Bill in late summer.
If third party appeals were introduced, other measures would be proposed to speed up the processing of applications. Figures released to the Scottish Parliament this month show that less than half (49%) of major residential and business planning applications in Scotland are decided within four months, compared with an official target of 80%. Several authorities including Edinburgh scored less than 30%.