Seòmar agus comataidhean

These are set out in the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (Development Planning) (Saving, Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Order 2008. The effect is that those local plans which had progressed through the consultation stage but not to public local inquiry stage when the new development planning arrangements were commenced at February 2009 could still progress, but would be examined under the new arrangements.

This matter will be considered after North Lanarkshire Council have sent Scottish Ministers a copy of the plan they wish to adopt and the advert of their intention to adopt the plan.

The Planning Act includes powers which allow ministers to intervene in development management procedures.

It is for planning authorities to set out their policies to manage development in green belt areas in their development plans. Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) states that green belt designation should provide clarity and certainty on where development will and will not take place, and provides examples of types of development that may be appropriate in green belts, such as development associated with agriculture. It also notes that other proposals may be acceptable where they are a national priority or to meet an established need if no other site is available. Green belts are not necessarily permanent, and SPP notes that where it is considered necessary, the proposed release of land previously designated as green belt should be identified as part of the settlement strategy set out in the development plan.

Section 19(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 requires ministers to appoint a person to examine the proposed plan if they have been requested to do so by the planning authority or it appears to them that there are unresolved representations on the proposed plan.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02202 on 12 September 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02187 on 12 September 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Scottish Planning Policy requires that a five-year ongoing effective land supply is available to meet the identified housing land requirements. Housing land requirements are ultimately to be derived from housing need and demand assessments prepared by local authorities for each housing market area. If a downturn in the housing market is reflected in a lower assessment of need and demand, then this could be expected to produce a lower housing requirement.

The word “necessary” in this context is considered to carry its normal meaning.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02199 on 12 September 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.