TimescalesQuery

BISHOPTON ACTION GROUP

"Kilallan"

Sachelcourt Avenue

Bishopton

PA7 5AA

14th August 2006

Dear Mr. Darracott,

Outline Planning Application for the Regeneration of the ROF and Environmental Statement - Objection Timescale

You have indicated in the Explanatory Note to the Neighbour Notifications regarding the above application that although the normal objection period is 14 days, because of the scale of the development, "in practice the Council will be receiving and considering representations for a period of 16 weeks".

I would like you to clarify which regulations you are referring to when you stipulate a period of 16 weeks. I presume that this is for your department's administrative convenience, since according to the Council's own notes on planning applications, 14 days is the minimum period and representations can be accepted by the Council after that period provided that the application is still to be determined.

I understand that the Outline Planning Application cannot be determined until the principle of development is decided by the Scottish Ministers. As Ministers have a period of up to 40 weeks from the end of the consultation period on 9th June in which to make their decision, I presume that you will accept objections for a minimum period of 16 weeks or up until such time as a decision is announced by the Scottish Executive, whichever is the later of the two.

To provide an example of this, if the Ministers did in fact take 40 weeks to make a decision on the Alteration to the Structure Plan, this would mean that you would accept objections until 16th March 2007.

I do not understand why you have stipulated a period of 16 weeks for receiving objections, when the date is contingent on the Scottish Ministers' decision and a formal announcement being made.

As this is an extremely important issue for our community, I would be grateful if you would clarify the situation to us in writing, and also to those who have received the Neighbour Notifications.

Yours sincerely,

Stewart Ferguson

Chair – Bishopton Action Group

Bishopton Action Group

www.bishoptonactiongroup.org.uk

Email: bishoptonactiongroup@gmail.com