Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is a ministerial statement by Ivan McKee on Scotland’s planning system—supporting investment and economic growth and delivering qua...

The Minister for Public Finance (Ivan McKee) SNP

Planning is an essential building block for a successful and growing economy. What we build and where we build it creates the right conditions for economic g...

The Presiding Officer NPA

The minister will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will ...

Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

I thank the minister for advance sight of his statement; however, it was an admission of defeat. I was hoping for some ground-breaking planning legislation t...

Ivan McKee SNP

Wow. In asking us to speed up the process, Meghan Gallacher asks us to bring forward more legislation, which would take years and would not add anything to t...

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

It seems that the minister has been listening to the sector, to an extent, and there is a lot to be welcomed this afternoon. However, although the minister s...

Ivan McKee SNP

I welcome the member’s recognition that we have been listening to and engaging closely with the sector. The Government stands ready to work with all parties ...

Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

The minister indicated in his statement that the Scottish Government has already made significant reforms to planning policy. Although Labour down south has ...

Ivan McKee SNP

As I indicated earlier, we are happy to work with anyone who can help us to move the agenda forward. I am just back from a British-Irish Council meeting las...

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

The minister’s statement does not address the impact of the Government’s proposed rent controls between tenancies, which is a policy that continues to be of ...

Ivan McKee SNP

Mr Stewart might not be aware that, today, we are talking about the planning process and how it can help to support house building. With regard to rent cont...

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

Good housing is central to health and wellbeing, but it is difficult in rural areas, such as the Scottish Borders, to have house builders engage in small dev...

Ivan McKee SNP

Planning Aid Scotland is an excellent organisation that I was not aware of until I became planning minister. I have had a number of meetings and events with ...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

The minister is correct to identify the need to bring on more planners to deliver against those targets. However, he knows that the workforce of planners cur...

Ivan McKee SNP

That is a valid point. One of the things that struck me in my engagement with planning authorities and the planning ecosystem is the demands on planning reso...

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) SNP

How will today’s announcements help in areas of rapidly growing populations, for example here in the capital? Will they help to progress the Granton waterfro...

Ivan McKee SNP

Those are all very good points. We absolutely recognise the points that the member makes about the infrastructure levy. When we considered the issue, we came...

Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Green

I welcome the move to promote the change of use of properties, such as those above shops, to residential use. That measure will support us in creating three ...

Ivan McKee SNP

I am glad that the member welcomes the focus on change of use. She is right that that can provide additional capacity within the system to bring more homes o...

The Presiding Officer NPA

I am very keen that all members who have pressed to put a question have an opportunity to do so. I would be grateful for slightly more concise responses, min...

Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP) SNP

Today’s statement made reference to potentially expanding permitted development rights, but in England that has led to inappropriate conversions that have of...

Ivan McKee SNP

The member makes a valid point. We recognise the issue. We are open to considering more development rights, but I know that that can be a blunt instrument an...

Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) LD

The minister knows that change is essential, following the housing conference that he and I spoke at recently. It seems sensible to progress a more pragmatic...

Ivan McKee SNP

It is important to recognise that there is a balance between the need for housing development and the need to ensure that developments are in the right place...

Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) SNP

There is a need to encourage registered social landlords to build the new properties that are needed and wanted by tenants, including in my Greenock and Inve...

Ivan McKee SNP

Clearly, that work happens at a local level. Local authorities are the statutory housing authority, with a responsibility for assessing housing requirements ...

Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

The problem is that council planning departments have been hollowed out for many years. It is a question of funding, but I do not see anything in the stateme...

Ivan McKee SNP

It is interesting that Graham Simpson asks about the resources going to planning departments. The member who is sitting next to him was complaining just a mi...

Graham Simpson Con

That was not my question.

Ivan McKee SNP

—and it is important to recognise—Interruption.