Highland Planning Review Body Elected
The Highland Council has elected nine members to serve on the new Highland Planning Review Body, which will determine appeals throughout the Highlands against decisions in respect of smaller local developments taken by planning officers to refuse planning permission or conditions applied to approvals.
The Review Body comprises three councillors from each of the Council’s three operational areas and includes the Chairman of the Planning Environment and Development Committee, Ian Ross, and Vice-Chairman, Isobel McCallum.
The membership is: -
Caithness Sutherland Easter Ross:
Richard Durham, Tain and Easter Ross; Councillor Ian Ross, East Sutherland and Edderton; Maxine Smith, Cromarty Firth.
Ross Skye and Lochaber:
Dr Audrey Sinclair and Isabelle Campbell, both Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh; Isobel McCallum, Black Isle.
Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey:
David Fallows, Badenoch and Strathspey; Ken MacLeod, Inverness Millburn; Hamish Wood, Aird and Loch Ness;
The Review Body has been set up as the result of changes to the determination of local planning applications which have been introduced throughout Scotland to speed up the decision-making process.
The Council has agreed a Scheme of Delegation which will see more local decisions and major applications, which are not contrary to the Development Plan, being delegated to planning officers for determination.
Planning Application Committees will operate in Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross; Ross Skye and Lochaber and Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey. The role of these committees is to deal with major and local applications in certain circumstances such as where they may be contrary to the development plan or where a majority of ward members request that a delegated recommendation to refuse is taken to committee or there are 5 or more objections on planning grounds from separate addresses.
National and major applications which are significantly contrary to the Development Plans will be considered by the full council.
Councillor Ian Ross, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Planning Environment and Development, said: “The election of the Planning Review Body marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the new planning regulations which came into force on 3 August. This is part of the Modernising planning agenda which also include E-planning. I am very much looking forward to working with colleagues on this important new body.”
The effectiveness of the Review Group will be reviewed after nine months.