Current status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is consistent with Scottish planning policy for a local authority to refuse a planning application on the basis of a separate project that has not reached a formal determination stage, particularly in cases where the local authority is not the final decision-maker for that separate project.
Section 37 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 sets out that, when determining planning applications, planning authorities are to have regard to the provisions of the development plan, so far as material to the application, and to any other material considerations. The development plan consists of National Planning Framework 4 and the relevant local development plan.
It is for the relevant planning authority to identify, in each individual planning application, what material considerations apply and what weight to give to each material consideration in reaching their decision. This is a matter of planning judgement for the authority.