Masterplan Consent Area Regulations: consultation responses summary

Question 14

Question 14 A) To what extent do you agree that a Notification Direction be issued requiring that in the above circumstances such MCA schemes be notified to the Scottish Ministers?

Responses to Question 14A are set out by respondent type in Table 13 below.

A total of 51 respondents answered this question. A majority – 80.4% of those who answered the question – strongly agreed or agreed that a Notification Direction be issued in certain circumstances requiring MCA schemes be notified to the Scottish Ministers. Only 5.9% disagreed and 13.7% remained neutral. There were high levels of agreement across all respondent groups, apart from Professional Representative Bodies who had a lower level of agreement (33.3%), the majority of that group was neutral to this question.

Question 14B) Please explain your view.

40 respondents provided further comment at Question 14B.

Summary /Themes

The responses were generally supportive of a Notification Direction being issued to cover certain circumstances in which MCA schemes would be required to be notified to the Scottish Ministers. The majority of the supportive responses noted that the approach was aligned with existing provisions for planning applications, in terms of notification to Ministers.

A few respondents disagreed with the circumstances requiring a Notification Direction. One Third Sector response considered “It would seem more appropriate to exclude those types of development from MCAs altogether rather than including them in notification procedures.”

A number of additions and amendments were suggested by respondents. In addition to the circumstances set out in the consultation paper the following locations were suggested for inclusion in notification requirements - Natura 2000 sites, the green belt, prime agriculture land, areas previously refused planning permission and locations that conflict with Local Place Plans.