Gypsy/traveller accommodation needs notfication: Chief Planner letter

Scottish Ministers draw your attention to the attached direction. The Direction is given under powers conferred on Scottish Ministers by Regulation 31 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013.

The Direction comes into force on 1 March 2019. The effect of the Direction is to require notification of any applications for Gypsy/Traveller developments to Scottish Ministers. The requirement applies to both new planning applications and any that are currently being considered.

We believe planning can play a vital role in ensuring that Gypsies and Travellers have safe and secure places to stop or settle. This Direction is given in the view to inform a national overview of Gypsy/Traveller development activity in the planning system. 

THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS) (GYPSY/TRAVELLER ACCOMMODATION NEEDS) (SCOTLAND) DIRECTION 2019

Scottish Ministers give the following Direction in exercise of the powers conferred by regulations 31 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 and all other powers enabling them to do so:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. In this Direction— 

“Gypsy/Traveller development” means development to support the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers

Information to be given to Scottish Ministers 

2. Where a planning authority have before them for determination an application for planning permission for Gypsy/Traveller development, it must give Scottish Ministers the following information—

• The planning application reference;
• The address or location of the development; and
• A description of the development.

3. The Scottish Government would expect, where possible, that the information sent to Scottish Ministers, is provided electronically by means of a link, or series of links to the relevant case file on the authority’s website.

Submission of information

4. Submission should be made by e-mail to the following address:

planning.decisions@gov.scot

5. Where it is necessary to send hard copies of some or all of the required documents, they should be sent to:

The Scottish Government
Directorate for Local Government and Communities
Planning and Architecture Division
Planning Decisions
Area 2F South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ