Legislation – Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025

“Applications made to the Scottish Ministers for consent

1A

(1)

The Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers may by regulations make provision about the following matters in relation to applications to the Scottish Ministers for consent under section 36 or 37.

(2)

The matters are—

(a)

the steps a person must take before making an application;

(b)

the information that must be included in an application;

(c)

an acceptance stage, during which the Scottish Ministers must assess an applicant’s compliance with any requirements imposed by the regulations in order to decide whether or not to accept the application;

(d)

fees to be paid to the Scottish Ministers—

(i)

on application, or

(ii)

for anything done by them in relation to a proposed application;

(e)

requests by the Scottish Ministers for additional information to aid their decision whether or not to accept an application or to grant consent.

(3)

The steps that may be the subject of provision made by virtue of sub-paragraph (2)(a) include—

(a)

notifying prescribed persons of the proposed application,

(b)

publicising the proposed application, and

(c)

carrying out a consultation about the proposed application.”

“Procedure following objection by relevant planning authority: Scotland

2A

(1)

A reporter appointed under paragraph 2(2A)(a) must make proposals as regards the appropriate procedure for examining the application.

(2)

The appropriate procedure may consist of one or more of the following—

(a)

considering—

(i)

the objection by the relevant planning authority,

(ii)

any other objections made in accordance with regulations under paragraph 3(1)(c), and

(iii)

any other representations made in accordance with an enactment;

(b)

considering new written representations about the application from persons specified by the reporter;

(c)

holding one or more hearing sessions;

(d)

carrying out an inspection of the land to which the application relates;

(e)

holding a public inquiry.

(3)

Where the reporter proposes a procedure that includes proceedings within sub-paragraph (2)(b), (c) or (e), the proposal must include a statement of the issues that are proposed to be within the scope of each of those proceedings.

(4)

The reporter must—

(a)

publish the proposals,

(b)

notify all interested parties of the proposals, and

(c)

invite written representations about the proposals before the end of the time period specified by the reporter.

(5)

The published proposals must include or be accompanied by an explanation of the reasons for the proposals.

(6)

The reporter may hold a meeting to hear representations about the proposals.

(7)

After considering the representations, the reporter must—

(a)

decide on the appropriate procedure for examining the application, and

(b)

publish that decision.

(8)

The published decision must include or be accompanied by an explanation of—

(a)

the reasons for the decision,

(b)

the intended time period for the carrying out of the procedure, and

(c)

the intended time period within which the reporter will send a final report to the Scottish Ministers.

(9)

Sub-paragraph (3) applies to the reporter’s decision as it applies to the reporter’s proposals.

(10)

On completing the examination, the reporter must prepare and send to the Scottish Ministers a final report setting out the reporter’s recommendations on the application.

(11)

In this paragraph, “interested party” means—

(a)

the applicant,

(b)

the relevant planning authority which made the objection under paragraph 2(2A),

(c)

any person who has made an objection in accordance with regulations under paragraph 3, or

(d)

any person who has made representations in accordance with any other enactment.

(12)

The Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers may by regulations make provision amending or setting out further detail about the procedure set out in this paragraph. (See also paragraph 7B(2)(e).)

(13)

A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph is not to be made by the Secretary of State unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(14)

Regulations made by the Scottish Ministers under this paragraph are subject to the affirmative procedure.”

“Applications to the Scottish Ministers: time limits

7B

(1)

The Secretary of State or the Scottish Ministers may by regulations specify a time limit for actions that may or must be taken in relation to an application to the Scottish Ministers for consent under section 36 or 37.

(2)

The regulations may, for example, specify a time limit for—

(a)

a person to comply with a requirement of regulations under paragraph 1A;

(b)

a person to respond to a pre-application consultation (see paragraph 1A(3)(c));

(c)

a person who is notified of an application in accordance with an enactment to provide their opinion or advice on the application;

(d)

a relevant planning authority to object to an application under paragraph 2(2A);

(e)

a reporter to take any steps required by paragraph 2A;

(f)

the Scottish Ministers to decide an application.

(3)

The regulations may include provision about the consequences of failure to comply with a time limit.

(4)

Where regulations under this paragraph specify a time limit for the completion of an acceptance stage (see paragraph 1A(2)(c)), the regulations may not permit the extension of that limit.”