In anticipation of the new scheme of development management
becoming effective on 3 August the Scottish Government have
produced a Circular entitled "Development Management
Procedures (Circular 4/2009)". This contains detailed
guidance in relation to a number of issues concerning the handling
of planning applications.
The final regulations appeared just prior to Christmas while the
Circular has appeared in the midst of the summer holidays shortly
prior to the new regulations becoming live. Given these timings it
would appear that the Scottish Government does not wish to make it
easy for all those involved in the planning process to get to grips
with the new system! It is particularly surprising that this
Circular has only come out now. While the new system goes live on 3
August those who anticipate lodging early applications concerning
"major developments" will have been preparing those for
some time and indeed will have been out to public consultation in
relation to
