Chief Reporter's Statement
During the last year the Directorate has delivered more than 1300 decisions and reports on planning and related cases. I am pleased to say that, despite some considerable challenges and pressures, we have continued to meet our ministerial targets for both timeliness and quality.
Most of our work involves dealing with appeals, but time required to deliver local plan inquiries and other types of case is increasing. The examination of the proposal to erect a 400kV overhead electricity transmission line between Beauly and Denny continues to occupy all of the time of three reporters, with the inquiry closing in December 2007. I expect that their comprehensive report will be submitted to Ministers in December 2008. During the last year the Directorate also held an Examination in Public into proposals within the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan. This was the first EiP held in Scotland for many years and feedback from parties involved in the process was very positive.
Our planning permission appeal case load has continued to increase year on year, with 3.8% more cases submitted in 2007-2008 than the previous year. We now deal with 37% more planning appeals than we did 5 years ago; the complexity of those cases has increased too; and we correspond with an increasing number of interested parties. This reflects the changing interest in planning at both application and plan-making stage but on occasion our administrative and reporter resources are stretched to an uncomfortable level. In the last year we corresponded with more than 50,000 participants, many of whom were unfamiliar with the appeal process and required support to familiarise themselves and engage with their rights in this important part of the planning system.
During the last year we piloted and then introduced a new style of decision notice. Our succinct notices are intended to focus on the essential elements of each case - the determining issues and the reporters' reasoning. Feedback from all parties has been positive.
In November we started creating electronic files for all of our written submission cases. This involves scanning, redacting personal information and tagging all documents received and has proven to be one of the most significant administrative challenges faced by the team. It is only because of the commitment and skill of members of that team that we have maintained both momentum and our service to the public of Scotland. Traffic to our web pages is already amongst the busiest within the Scottish Government, but we are now well placed to publish electronic case files on the internet. This will build on our existing presence delivering increased transparency with additional efficiencies for all users. This project is a key part of our commitment to delivering a national e-planning service and I hope that over the coming year all parties to appeals will make use of this site. I also expect that appellants will be able to submit appeals electronically later this year.
We are continuing to gear up for the challenges that will follow the commencement of provisions in the 2006 Planning Act. We have supported colleagues elsewhere in the Government as they have drafted secondary legislation and we look forward to Parliamentary consideration. All parties will have to play their part in delivering the focus and increased pace that the modernised planning system seeks.
I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our administrative staff and reporters. They have delivered so much during the last year.