The Planning (Scotland) Bill is making slow progress through Holyrood at present and today theĀ Greens claim the SNP blocked a bid to give communities the same right as developers to appeal planning decisions.

They say that the campaign for equal right of appeal has the backing of dozens of community and environmental groups such as community councils, the RSPB and the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

At today’s meeting of Holyrood’s Local Government and Communities Committee, SNP MSPs voted against amendments to the Planning Bill from Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP.

Andy Wightman MSP

Andy’s amendments, which would have given communities the right to appeal, were supported by the Labour MSP on the committee but voted down by the 3 SNP MSPs. The Tories abstained.

Andy Wightman, Housing spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said:ā€œPlanning is meant to reflect the needs and interests of communities and provide a process for democratic decision making about how land is allocated to different uses. Todayā€™s vote was an opportunity to generate real public engagement and establish trust in the planning system. Instead we are back to square one where those who have to live with the consequences of planning decisions have no right to appeal.

“The system has been besmirched by a lack of parity and I will seek to re-introduce my amendments at Stage 3 so that the wider Parliament can decide whether or not communities can have an equal say.ā€

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.