Sharing our Planning Experiences

I thought that you might be interested to read an extract from an e mail conversation that APTSec had with Ann Coleman back in March this year:

APTSec:

"At the NPF 2 Conference in Inverness in February 2008, Mr Mackinnon, The Chief Planner, talked of the new Planning Act as having wide cross party support, and was at pains to state the importance of planning to theGovernment's Economic Strategy. Enhanced public participation and emphasis on public engagement are supposed to be strong features of the new Act. Whilst it is appreciated that new processes need time to 'bed down', we have grave concerns, given our experiences to date, that the new measures for public involvement will not result in any significant improvement in the public experience of the planning system where and when it really matters.

On a personal note, my concern is growing with respect to the announcement made by John Swinney at the Planning Summit in Edinburgh on 28/10/2008. Mr Swinney stated there that, "Planning reform needs to help, not hinder, the economy - especially in the current climate", and that the Government's intention is to" let local circumstances drive local decisions and innovation" and that the focus in future will be, "on identifying and spreading good practice across Scotland".

Whilst I appreciate that Mr Swinney states that the emphasis will be on good practice and the positive potential of the planning process and he has also stated that it will not be development anywhere at any price, I remain cautious, and feel that there is potential for the Government to make the rules and then stand back while local democracy deals with difficult and often contentious issues.

Given that Local Authorities are often cash strapped; that increasing co-operation between the public and private sector is being encouraged; that the planning process itself balances competing and conflicting demands and that the outcomes of consideration by Ministers of recent high profile planning applications has been controversial, I can see the potential for many areas suffering, not simply the public involvement agenda."

Ann

"Hi Cathy

Thank You for sharing this with us.

We have a considerable empathy with the concerns expressed by you. Our local Community Councils participated in the Structure Plan and the final approved plan reflects our input, we participated in the emerging Local Plan which is now at the final draft stage, and, so far, it too reflects our input. However we are fighting an application for a large capacity incinerator which is contrary to both the Structure Plan and the emerging Local Plan despite the fact that the developer, as always, has far greater resources and expertise and therefore has even less reason to justify not coming forward with the development proposal during the consultation for the development plans. The application will go before the council committee at the end of March/beginning of April and we are being told that a number of councillors are supportive of the application and that it is likely to be approved at local level.



Like you I was incensed by the announcements on the 28Th October and the whole tone of the press release. I wrote to the Minister and sent copies to our MSP and List MSPs'.

I am so saddened by the planning system but resolved to keep going by the increase in the number of public representative organisations that are becoming more aware and more critical. Our voice is growing louder, slowly perhaps, but it is happening. Sharing and recording experiences, I believe, could be a very useful measure in pressurising the Government to committ to genuine public empowerment as opposed to simply a paperwork exercise in public engagement in the planning system.

Kind Regards
Ann (Coleman)
Greengairs"