Historic Scotland has invited every local authority in Scotland to join a planning scheme to improve and speed up the process of dealing with certain types of applications affecting category B listed buildings.
This is part of a range of reforms aimed at strengthening the partnership between Historic Scotland and local authorities across Scotland. It follows a successful three month pilot scheme where Perth and Kinross, Glasgow City and the City of Edinburgh councils were able to issue listed building consent for B listed buildings without the need to consult Historic Scotland.
The pilot found that consents were issued more quickly and in line with policy. On average, pilot applications were determined 27 days more quickly than non-pilot category B cases. Just over half of the pilot cases were resolved within eight weeks.
The initiative will reduce duplication between Historic Scotland and local authorities and support the Government’s drive to modernise the planning system. Authorities will be able to deliver listed building consents more quickly to applicants allowing Historic Scotland to focus on applications where it can add value as well as providing more strategic advice to planning authorities, applicants and Scottish Ministers.
Jim MacDonald, Deputy Chief Inspector with HS said: “The pilot clearly showed that provided they have the expertise, policies and processes in place, planning authorities can deliver quicker decisions on the more straightforward listed building consent applications without a decrease in quality, if their duty to notify Scottish Ministers is removed.
Historic Scotland has written to planning authorities explaining what they need to do if they want to take on sole responsibility for determining more straightforward listed building consent applications.”
John Bury, Head of Planning at the City of Edinburgh Council said: ”This has significantly reduced the amount of time taken to determine listed building consents for Category B buildings so we hope to reach an agreement with Historic Scotland as soon as possible.”
