Planning Circular 7/2007: planning applications for outdoor sports facilities and open space 2007

ANNEX I: THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (CONSULTATION ON APPLICATIONS) (SCOTLAND) DIRECTION 2007

The Scottish Ministers make and give the following Direction in exercise of the powers conferred on them by Articles 15(2), 17, 22(3) and 32(1) of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992 and all other powers enabling them to do so.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) This Direction may be cited as the Town and Country Planning (Consultation on Applications) (Scotland) Direction 2007 and shall come into force on 1 January 2008.

(2) In this Direction

"outdoor sports facility" means land used as -

(a) outdoor playing fields extending to not less than 0.2ha used for any sport played on a pitch;
(b) outdoor athletics tracks;
(c) golf courses;
(d) outdoor tennis courts, other than those within a private dwelling, hotel or other tourist accommodation; and
(e) outdoor bowling greens.

Consultation with sportscotland

2.- (1) A planning authority, before granting an application for planning permission for development likely to -

(a) result in the loss of an outdoor sports facility;
(b) prejudice the use of an existing outdoor sports facility for that purpose; or
(c) prevent the use of land, which was last used as an outdoor sports facility, from being used again for that purpose,

shall consult sportscotland.

(2) The planning authority when consulting in accordance with paragraph (1) is to give not less than 14 days notice to sportscotland that such application is to be taken into consideration and shall not determine the application until after the expiration of the period of such notice.

(3) For the purpose of consultation under this Direction the planning authority shall give sportscotland such information as is necessary to enable them to consider the application.

David Ferguson
Head of Planning Decisions

15 November 2007