North Ayrshire Council planners have welcomed the outcome of a review on planning reform in Scotland.

Over 500 responses were submitted to the review which focused on six key themes; development planning; housing delivery; planning for infrastructure; development management; leadership, resourcing and skills; and community engagement.

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The council's Planning Services agreed with many of the 48 recommendations made by the review, which included:

• The move towards a 10-year cycle for the adoption of Development Plans rather than the current 5-year cycle.

• Higher planning fees to ensure the Planning Service is cost neutral.

• Greater use of IT to improve accessibility and publication of planning applications via social media rather than by press.

• A statutory requirement to ensure greater community involvement in planning and encouraging younger people to engage with plans that impact on their area.

(LM)