Section 27: Delegation of development decisions
154.Section 27 of the Act repeals section 56(6A) (arrangements for discharge of functions by local authorities) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (“the 1973 Act”) and section 14(2) (pre-determination hearings) of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Section 56 of the 1973 Act deals with the delegation of functions within local authorities. Section 14 of the 2006 Act introduced subsection (6A) to section 56 of the 1973 Act which specifies that: “A local authority’s function of determining an application for planning permission for a development of a class mentioned in section 38A(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (c. 8) shall be discharged only by the authority.”
155.Section 38A(1) of the 1997 Act provides that a pre-determination hearing before a committee of the authority must be offered to the applicant (and prescribed parties) in relation to an application for planning permission for a prescribed class of development. Therefore, the local authority currently cannot delegate to a committee or to officials the decision on whether or not to grant planning permission in a case where a pre-determination hearing has to be offered.
156.Section 27 of the Act removes the requirement for such applications to go to full council for decision, and leaves the authority free to delegate the decision on such applications as it sees fit. For example, since the pre-determination hearing is before a committee of the authority, it might be considered appropriate for that committee to make the decision on the application.
