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Chamber and committees

Communities Committee, 08 Feb 2006

Meeting date: Wednesday, February 8, 2006


Contents


Petitions


Planning System (PE916)<br />Planning System (Amenity Woodland) (PE918)

The Convener:

The first agenda item is consideration of two petitions that have been referred to the committee. The first is PE916, which was lodged by Scottish Environment LINK and the Association of Scottish Community Councils. It calls on the Scottish Parliament to seek to secure real rights for all in the planning system by ensuring that, rather than introducing more opportunities to express opinions, the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill establishes real and effective rights for people to have their views on planning decisions and conditions taken into account through the introduction of a limited third-party right of appeal in the planning system. It also calls on the Parliament to ensure that all strategic planning decisions that are taken by Government at the national level, including on the national planning framework, are open to challenge and public inquiry.

PE918 was lodged by Bill Lobban, on behalf of the Dalfaber action group. It calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to review the protection that is afforded to amenity woodland within the current planning system with a view to ensuring that the views of local people who enjoy visiting such woodland are given sufficient weight in the planning process.

It is proposed that the planning-related issues that are contained in both the petitions be included in the committee's consideration of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill. Do committee members have any comments to make on the proposal?

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):

Dalfaber is close to Aviemore and I have already received some representations from the action group. I am interested in ancient woodlands and I notice that section 26 of the bill contains provisions on the preservation of woodlands. Therefore, we will have an opportunity to address the points that are raised in PE918 when we hear from the minister later in stage 1 or at stage 2.

So you are satisfied that we can return to the matters in the petitions as we consider the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill. Do any other committee members wish to comment?

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):

I express my thanks to the petitioners for providing extremely clear and well-put-together supporting information. Last night, I noticed that, in the material from Scottish Environment LINK and the Association of Scottish Community Councils, reference is made to a couple of attachments that do not appear in the committee papers. Could those be provided?

The Convener:

They can be. That will be addressed.

Are we agreed that the issues that are raised in the petitions be considered in the committee's deliberations on the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill but that we take no further action on the petitions?

Members indicated agreement.