- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to its consultation on the consolidation of planning policy guidance and whether it will make these responses public.
Answer
One hundred and ninety-six responses to the consultation on the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy were received. These, together with an analysis of consultation responses will be published in October.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from environmental NGOs and business groups regarding its intention to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer
One hundred and ninety-six responses were received following the consultation on the draft consolidated Scottish Planning Policy. Eighteen of these responses were from business groups and 28 were from environmental organisations.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer
The consolidated SPP sets out existing planning policy taken from the current Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) series. Advice, contextual information and duplication have been removed to enable a focus on the policy.
The consolidation of the SPP and NPPG series was announced in October 2008. A series of pre-consultation meetings were held with key stakeholders in January and February 2009, supplemented with direct meetings between government officials and stakeholders. A series of consultation events were held around Scotland in April and May 2009 to explain the draft SPP. Direct meetings between officials and stakeholders have continued during and after the consultation period.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the absence of an explicit commitment to sustainable development in the proposed consolidated planning policy guidance.
Answer
A significant number of representations asked for the sustainable development section of the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) to be reworked to provide clearer and more substantive policy direction on the contribution of the planning system to achieving sustainable development. The section is being redrafted with input from stakeholders and will be published as part of a further consultation on parts of the consolidated SPP this autumn.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has received for its proposals to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer
Support in principle for the consolidation of the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) series into a single, shorter document has been expressed by most stakeholders before, during and after the consultation. Following publication of the draft, some stakeholders expressed concern about the extent of the rationalisation but only a small minority do not agree with the principle of the consolidation. All consultation responses are being considered and will be taken into account when the consolidated SPP is finalised.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the responses to its consultation on the consolidation of planning policy guidance.
Answer
In October we will be starting a further phase of consultation on the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) to reflect legislative changes since the publication of the draft SPP and in response to representations made on the consultation. A six week consultation on these policy changes will provide a further opportunity to consider the government''s response to some of the issues raised in the consultation.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a commitment to sustainable development remains an explicit component of the proposed single planning policy guidance.
Answer
Yes.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to make a statement to the Parliament on its intentions regarding the consolidation of planning policy guidance and, if so, when it plans to bring this to the Parliamentary Bureau for discussion.
Answer
The single Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) is a consolidation of existing policy rather than a review of policy. Scottish ministers intend to notify Parliament by means of a letter to the Convenor of the Local Government and Communities Committee prior to publication of the consolidated SPP.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the representations it has received during its consultation on the proposed consolidation of planning policy guidance.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not provide responses to individual representations received during consultations.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns among a cross-section of interested parties that a lack of detail in a future, single planning policy guidance document could introduce greater uncertainty, delay and cost into the planning process.
Answer
We are aware of these concerns and will be taking the comments of these parties into account when finalising the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy, alongside the comments of those who support the consolidation on the basis that national planning policy is clearer and easier to understand.
