Committee
Communities Committee, 13 Sep 2006
13 Sep 2006 · S2 · Communities Committee
Item of business
Planning etc (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Amendment 175 would extend the sustainable development duty that is already present in the earlier sections of the bill in relation to the national planning framework and other aspects to development management. During our stage 1 inquiry and previous stage 2 debates, I was very pleased about the extent to which sustainable development has been accepted across the political spectrum as being a large part of what the planning system should be about. We might differ at times over exactly what it means, and I might take a slightly more pessimistic view of the extent to which we have achieved sustainable development in Scotland at present, but we all agree that the planning system is an important tool in achieving sustainable development, whatever we regard that to mean.The usual argument against extending the duty to development management is that it would place unnecessary burdens or impose restrictions in individual cases or on certain developments—it would create unnecessary hoops to jump through. Amendment 175 provides for Scottish ministers to issue guidance on the interpretation of the legislation, which would overcome that problem. I think that it is worth pushing the issue.I move amendment 175.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Karen Whitefield):
Lab
I open the 23rd meeting of the Communities Committee in 2006 and remind everyone present that mobile phones should be turned off. The only item on today's ag...
Before section 3
The Convener:
Lab
Amendment 175, in the name of Patrick Harvie, is grouped with amendment 124.
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Amendment 175 would extend the sustainable development duty that is already present in the earlier sections of the bill in relation to the national planning ...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
Amendment 124 covers two points: first, existing buildings for which better insulation or a microrenewable energy scheme is sought; and secondly, energy effi...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I have a question for Donald Gorrie, which the minister will perhaps also pick up on. I am sympathetic towards amendment 124, but I would like to know what D...
The Convener:
Lab
Dave Petrie, do you wish to contribute?
Dave Petrie (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
No—I was just chewing my pen.
The Convener:
Lab
I am sorry—I thought that you were indicating an interest in the debate. I invite Mr Gorrie to respond to the specific points that Christine Grahame raised.
Donald Gorrie:
LD
This is one of those times when I have to cop out. I do not think that the law can contain something precise enough to cover every area. It would be up to th...
The Deputy Minister for Communities (Johann Lamont):
Lab
Patrick Harvie's amendment 175 seeks to introduce a further sustainable development duty into the bill, covering the whole of part 3. The existing sustainabl...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
Two points were raised on amendment 175. The first was that there is perhaps a lack of clarity over what a contribution to sustainable development really mea...
The Convener:
Lab
The question is, that amendment 175 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Convener:
Lab
There will be a division.
ForHarvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)AgainstBarrie, Scott (Dunfermline West) (Lab)Craigie, Cathie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab)Grahame, Christine (South of ...
The Convener:
Lab
The result of the division is: For 1, Against 8, Abstentions 0.
Amendment 175 disagreed to.
Section 3—Meaning of "development"
The Convener:
Lab
Amendment 176, in the name of John Farquhar Munro, is grouped with amendment 177.
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
Thank you, convener, and good morning.I lodged amendment 176 in the hope that it would give more control to every local authority. All developments, both lar...
Dave Petrie:
Con
Have you discussed the amendment with the Crown Estate commissioners and, if so, what was the reaction?
John Farquhar Munro:
LD
Not directly, but I know that local authorities have been campaigning for many years to have control of the seabed adjacent to the coastline. For instance, H...
Dave Petrie:
Con
But would it not be another burden on local authorities?
The Convener:
Lab
Excuse me, this is not a debate. If we have time, I will allow Dave Petrie to contribute again.
Dave Petrie:
Con
Thank you.
John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
I have sympathy with what John Farquhar Munro is proposing. He is right that development on the seabed adjacent to the coast is subject to control not by loc...
The Convener:
Lab
Mr Petrie, I am going to allow you to make your other point, and Mr Farquhar Munro can respond to it when he winds up the debate.
Dave Petrie:
Con
Thank you, convener.I just wanted to make a point about how local authorities are already stretched and could be further stretched by the bill. If the amendm...
John Farquhar Munro:
LD
No, I think that—