JimH
07-Dec-06, 14:42
I emailed Hollyrood for an explanation of the Asda saga and the reply was :=-
Thank you for your email of 28 November addressed to the Deputy Minister for Communities, about the proposed development of an ASDA store at Pennyland Farm, Thurso, Caithness. I have been asked to reply.
While noting the objections brought out in your letter about the call in of this development proposal, I should explain that responsibility for dealing with planning applications and local planning matters rests, in the first instance, with the planning authority. The Scottish Ministers would consider intervening only where issues of national as opposed to local significance were involved.
I should point out that there are certain prescribed circumstances, detailed in the Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1997, where Scottish Ministers require to be notified of a planning authority’s intention to grant planning permission. This procedure allows the Scottish Ministers the opportunity to consider whether the issues involved merit calling in the application for their own determination or if the Council can be left to deal with the matter as they see fit.
The Highland Council duly notified the planning application to the Scottish Ministers for their consideration as the Council had an interest in the site and there was a substantial body of objections.
Having considered the proposal, the Scottish Ministers, decided in terms of Section 46 of the Town and Country planning (Scotland) Act 1997, to require the application to be referred to them for determination. Accordingly, a Direction was issued on 20 November 2006. The Direction was given in view of the proposed development’s possible implications for policies in the Highland Structure Plan, the Caithness Local Plan relating to town centre regeneration, SPP8 – Town Centres and Retailing, SPP17 - Planning for Transport, NPPG11 – Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space and Circular 12/1996 – Planning Agreements.
The Scottish Ministers have decided, in view of the nature of this proposal, its possible implications and the volume of representations received both for and against the proposal, that the matter should be considered at a public local inquiry. Accordingly, the papers have been referred to the Inquiry Reporters Unit who will be contacting relevant parties in due course about the arrangements for the inquiry. The Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit at 4, The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Callendar Road, Falkirk, FK1 1XR will be able to give you further information on procedure and timetable for the inquiry.
I hope the above information is of assistance to you.
Yours sincerely
Comments please in a sealed (self destructing) envelope addressed to Penguin Parliament. Antartica.
Thank you for your email of 28 November addressed to the Deputy Minister for Communities, about the proposed development of an ASDA store at Pennyland Farm, Thurso, Caithness. I have been asked to reply.
While noting the objections brought out in your letter about the call in of this development proposal, I should explain that responsibility for dealing with planning applications and local planning matters rests, in the first instance, with the planning authority. The Scottish Ministers would consider intervening only where issues of national as opposed to local significance were involved.
I should point out that there are certain prescribed circumstances, detailed in the Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1997, where Scottish Ministers require to be notified of a planning authority’s intention to grant planning permission. This procedure allows the Scottish Ministers the opportunity to consider whether the issues involved merit calling in the application for their own determination or if the Council can be left to deal with the matter as they see fit.
The Highland Council duly notified the planning application to the Scottish Ministers for their consideration as the Council had an interest in the site and there was a substantial body of objections.
Having considered the proposal, the Scottish Ministers, decided in terms of Section 46 of the Town and Country planning (Scotland) Act 1997, to require the application to be referred to them for determination. Accordingly, a Direction was issued on 20 November 2006. The Direction was given in view of the proposed development’s possible implications for policies in the Highland Structure Plan, the Caithness Local Plan relating to town centre regeneration, SPP8 – Town Centres and Retailing, SPP17 - Planning for Transport, NPPG11 – Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space and Circular 12/1996 – Planning Agreements.
The Scottish Ministers have decided, in view of the nature of this proposal, its possible implications and the volume of representations received both for and against the proposal, that the matter should be considered at a public local inquiry. Accordingly, the papers have been referred to the Inquiry Reporters Unit who will be contacting relevant parties in due course about the arrangements for the inquiry. The Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit at 4, The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Callendar Road, Falkirk, FK1 1XR will be able to give you further information on procedure and timetable for the inquiry.
I hope the above information is of assistance to you.
Yours sincerely
Comments please in a sealed (self destructing) envelope addressed to Penguin Parliament. Antartica.