There has been a sharp rise in the number of planning appeals processed by the Scottish Government within 12 weeks.

In November, 37% of all appeals considered by written submissions were decided within 12 weeks - compared with 4% in April.

This fulfils the Scottish Government's intention to remove dead time in processing these cases, freeing up resources, improving efficiency in the planning system and reducing the period of uncertainty for all involved.

Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson said that improving efficiency in Scotland's planning system will provide developers and business with greater certainty of speed of decision-making, which is important in an uncertain economic climate.

"Speeding up the time taken to determine planning appeals is a welcome step, as it builds on our economic recovery plan to ensure that all government activity, including on planning and regulation, is geared towards supporting economic development," he said.

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The government is now on track to determine more than 50% of all written submission cases within 12 weeks by April 2009.

"This will mean the removal of 80 years of dead time from appeal processing over a single calendar year - something which will be of benefit to all parties involved.

"And this complements the wide-ranging package of improvements we announced in October to help ensure Scotland's planning system was an aid, rather than a barrier, to increasing sustainable economic growth."

The Scottish Government's Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) undertake a number of activities, including the determination of planning appeals on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Last year the Directorate handled developments worth in excess of £2bn to Scotland's economy and has seen a year on year increase in the number of cases dealt with - 1,400 in the last financial year.

At present, Ministers have a target for determining planning appeals within 20 weeks. However, since April DPEA has been working with planning authorities and agents across Scotland to complete as many written submission appeals as possible within 12 weeks of receipt.

(GK/KMcA)