Planning bill reaches stage 3 at Holyrood
(update 03/11/06)
Stage 2 of the Planning Bill is now complete. Stage 3 – a debate in the Chamber with all MSPs entitled to vote on amendments to the bill, as well as the final bill – will take place on the 15th and 16th November.
The Communities Committee voted to include very few amendments, other than those brought forward by the Executive to be passed at stage 2.
No support for third party rights of appeal
A number of amendments on Third Party Rights of Appeal were brought forward by Donald Gorrie (Lib Dems), Mike Rumbles (Lib Dems), Sandra White (SNP), and Patrick Harvey (Green). All were defeated.
A backbench coalition including Jackie Baillie, Pauline McNeill and Sarah
Boyack brought forward a compromise amendment called a ‘community
call-in’,
giving communities the right to call-in to the Executive developments they opposed,
under certain circumstances. Their amendment was rejected.
National Planning Framework
Bruce Crawford (SNP) gave an excellent speech in support of a Scottish Environment LINK initiated amendment calling for public scrutiny of the National Planning Framework. It too was defeated.
Last chance for change: Planning Bill at stage 3
The everyone campaign remains unhappy with the bill as it stands. We do not feel it will promote proper public engagement, as it was apparently intended to do. It does not guarantee rights in planning for communities.
We remain hopeful that amendments at stage 3 will improve the bill as it stands.
Contact your MSP
Please write to your MSP urging them to support amendments on third party rights of appeal and proper public scrutiny of the National Planning Framework at the stage 3 debate.
Previous updates
Update on the Planning Bill: third party rights of appeal
to be debated after summer recess
(updated 03/8/06)
On 17th May, the general principles of the Planning (Scotland) Bill were passed at stage one after a debate in the parliament. The Green Party, the SSP and some independent MSPs voted against the general principles, but all other parties voted in favour.
See what MSPs had to say about third party
rights of appeal during
the stage 1 debate
Read the official report of the debate.
The bill has now gone back to the communities committee for stage 2, where it is being scrutinized line by line. Amendments put forward by MSPs will be considered at the point where they would be inserted into the bill.
Public Inquiry for the National Planning Framework rejected
The National Planning Framework was considered during the first stage
2 Communities Committee meeting on 14th June.
Unfortunately, amendments that would have made a public inquiry on
the National Planning Framework compulsory were rejected. We are
still hopeful
this might change at stage 3.
See an illustration
of what developments the National Planning Framework might include.
Read Scottish Environment LINK June Press Release on the National Planning Framework.
Take Action!
Third Party Rights of Appeal to be debated
in September
After the summer recess, the Committee will discuss the part of the bill where Third Party Rights of Appeal could be inserted as an amendment. MSPs spend most of the summer in their constituencies. This is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to visit your MSP at their weekly surgery and argue the case for third party rights of appeal.
You could write to your MSP to let them know your views, and request
a meeting.