Communities ‘must have planning power’

Green MSP Ross Greer has called on other politicians representing Renfrewshire to back a move to give communities equal right to appeal planning decisions, a power currently only held by developers.

The new Planning ( Scotland) Bill, which is intended to reform the way planning applications are dealt with, recently passed through the Local Government and Communities Committee at Holyrood.

An attempt to introduce an Equal Right of Appeal was rejected by three votes to two.

Had it passed, this would have introduced into the bill the principle that developers and objectors should have an equal opportunity to appeal against decisions which don’t go their way.

Mr Greer said: “We can still win equal right of appeal for our communities and finally level the playing field in planning decisions but only if we can secure the support of more MSPs.

“Right now, the appeal system is unfairly weighted in favour of developers who can apply and appeal until they get their own way – even if there are thousands of objections from residents and if elected councillors have rejected the plan.

“Yet if a community are overwhelmingly opposed they do not have the same right.

“The Greens are reaching out to every other party in the parliament to secure support for this reform.”