Many of you will have seen that the Scottish Government's much-anticipated Planning Bill was published on Tuesday.
The Bill and related documents can be found here.
As ever, we will be digesting the proposals and considering what they might mean for our clients and the wider planning system. From our initial review of the Bill, we would note:
- It contains no major surprises;
- There's no equal right of appeal (yet);
- The majority of changes are brought about through enabling provisions, with limited detail included at this stage;
- Simplified Development Zones being the notable exception to the above;
- Mandatory training obligations for councillors are included, with a prohibition on exercise of functions for non-compliance;
- Proposals for secondary legislation will inevitably follow.
Certainly, the proposals are wide-ranging and we will be posting more detailed analysis in the coming days.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
