Fixed penalties proposed for planning breaches
31 Oct 07
Councils feel prosecutions are too lengthy and expensive
New proposals for planning enforcement could mean fixed penalties of up to £5,000 for those who ignore planning laws.
The Scottish Government is consulting on regulations to be made under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2006, which confers new powers on local authorities in dealing with unauthorised developments and breaches of planning control.
Under the proposals, developers who fail to comply with an enforcement notice could face an initial fixed penalty notice for £1,000, increasing by £500 for each subsequent breach up to a maximum of £5,000. The intention is to provide councils with quicker and more effective ways of dealing with breaches of planning than having to go to court.
Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson said councils had expressed concern that prosecution was too lengthy and expensive a process to go through, and fixed penalty notices would be more effective.
The consultation can be read at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/31093316/1 . Responses are invited by 20 February 2008.
A further consultation has opened on draft regulations covering development plans: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/31093026/1 .