MORE than 80 community and environmental groups have written to the Scottish Government asking for equal rights of appeal in planning.
In a letter to Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Local Government and Housing, ahead of today’s stage one Planning Bill debate, the campaigners say it’s unfair that developers can appeal against council rejections, but communities have no such rights.
Signatories include community councils, local activists, and groups such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
“There is a significant lack of public confidence in planning,” the letter says. “It is therefore imperative that amendments are introduced to the Planning Bill to give communities a greater say and better rights over how Scotland is developed in future and to restore our trust in the planning system.”
The letter, co-ordinated by the campaign group Planning Democracy, which was shared on the Ferret website yesterday, says that people feel “disempowered and disregarded”.
Labour have backed calls for equal rights of appeal and a “more balanced” system. “Planning appeals should be the exception in a plan-led system but if appeals are to remain a feature, communities should have rights too,” said the party’s communities spokeswoman, Monica Lennon .
Developers, however, are lobbying against the idea. “There is no question a third-party right of appeal would make it harder to build the homes that Scotland needs,” said Tammy Swift-Adams, director of planning for Homes For Scotland, which represents building firms.
A Scottish Government spokesman said Ministers weren’t inclined to support the proposal: “A third-party right of appeal would be likely to add time, complexity and conflict into the process, centralise decisions, undermine confidence and investment in the homes and jobs our communities need.”
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