Scots Gov is accused of ignoring experts after overturning almost HALF of
all appealed planning decisions
By Martin Williams Senior News Reporter
The DPEA details show that 164 planning decisions out of 367 were
overturned by the Scottish Government in 2021/22.
The Scottish Government Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals
(DPEA) annual report shows The worst affected local authority area was
Shetland where both decisions taken to appeal in the year were overturned
while in Argyll and Bute six out of seven decisions made locally were
booted out.
Dundee City, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, South Ayrshire, and
Highland Councils all saw more than 60 per cent of the decisions they made
overturned on appeal.
As many as 18 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities had a rate of half or more
of their decisions lost on appeal by Scottish Government ministers.
Ministers overturned none of the decisions made by East Ayrshire,
Midlothian, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire councils. Info can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/planning-environmental-appeals-division-dpea-annual-review-2021-22/
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The vast majority of planning
appeals that come to Scottish ministers are decided by an independent
reporter who is required to take into account local views and make the
decision on the planning merits of the case in accordance with the local
development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
“During the last financial year, a total of 172 planning appeal decisions
in Scotland were made by reporters. In contrast, approximately 27,000
planning applications are decided each year by Scotland’s local planning
authorities, of which around 94.5% are granted.”
It comes as the DPEA said it will experience real terms budget cuts for the
next three years and have put in processes to become “more proportionate
and efficient” in its work.
>It said this work has already resulting in faster processing times for
>onshore wind proposals and “contributing to the achievement of Scottish
>Government renewable energy targets”.The DPEA said that in the course of
>2020/21 it received just three formal complaints regarding their work in
>2021/22 down from seven in 2020/21 and 13 in 2019/20.
But if a complaint is about the outcome of an appeal, the body says the
decision of the reporter is final and cannot be revoked or reviewed by DPEA
or by ministers.
People are made aware of their statutory right to appeal to the Court of
Session on a point of law. To read more: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/20407187.scots-gov-accused-ignoring-experts-overturning-almost-half-appealed-planning-decisions/
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