These Regulations may be cited as the Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and come into force on 28th February 2009.

In these Regulations–

• “the Act” means the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

• “the 2005 Act” means the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 20052;

• “community council” means a community council established in accordance with the provisions of Part IV of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 19733;

• “Directive” means Directive 96/82/EC of the European Council on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances4;

• “environmental report” means the environmental report prepared in connection with a proposed plan in accordance with the 2005 Act;

• “key agency” means a body specified as a key agency in regulation 28;

• “local development plan area” means the area of land to which a proposed local development plan relates;

• “local housing strategy” means a strategy (and any modified strategy) prepared and submitted to the Scottish Ministers in accordance with section 89 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 20015;

• “National Park” and “National Park authority” have the same meaning as in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 20006;

• “national waste management plan” has the same meaning as in the National Waste Management Plan for Scotland Regulations 20077;

• “neighbouring land” means land which is conterminous with or within 20 metres of the boundary of a specific site in respect of which a local development plan includes a proposal;

• “regional transport strategy” means a transport strategy approved by the Scottish Ministers under section 6 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 20058;

• “relevant date” means the date on which section 2 of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 comes into force for all purposes;

• “river basin management plan” means a river basin management plan approved by the Scottish Ministers under section 13(1) of the Water Environment and Water Services Act 20039; and

• “supplementary guidance” has the same meaning as in section 22(1) of the Act.

Expressions which are used in regulations 3(2) and 10(2) and which are also used in the Directive have the same meaning as in the Directive.

Any reference to a numbered Schedule is a reference to the Schedule bearing that number in these Regulations and any requirement that a form shall be as set out in a specified Schedule shall be construed as meaning a form as so specified or a form substantially to the like effect.