Home building industry body Homes for Scotland today welcomed Planning Minister Derek MacKay’s announcement of a consultation on improving the performance of the planning system in Scotland.

The organisation’s Director of Planning Allan Lundmark said: "A planning system which promotes development is critical if Scotland is to achieve its goal of sustainable economic growth, but the greater speed and efficiency promised by the changes of the 2006 Planning Act have not yet materialised. So, whilst we welcome the suggestion of a better-funded planning system through higher fees, this must be on the strict understanding that it results in a step-change in performance.

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"Strategic and local plans are also no quicker than under the previous system and this is a further area of concern. High-quality plans, produced quickly but subject to full and open scrutiny, remain an important tool for promoting growth. Thereafter, more efficient processing of planning applications and related consents is crucial for investor confidence."

He continued: "The release on Tuesday of a new planning policy framework in England, with its presumption in favour of sustainable development, showed that the UK Government wants planning to be a positive tool for promoting growth. I believe Mr MacKay has the same objectives and we will continue to work with him to deliver his ambitions for a modern planning system that is predictable and proportionate."

(GK0