I'm a Planner (based in Scotland) AMA

[Plannergirl9]

Hi

Happy to answer any questions.

[krustykittens]

Ah, I see! Thank you for explaining the difference. I almost did your job, I absolutely loved Geography when I was at school! I wish I had pursued it now, I think I would have really enjoyed it.

[Plannergirl9]

@krustykittens no I think planning regulations should be the same anywhere in Scotland. It's for individual areas local development plan (local planning policy) to be different. Things like what is permitted development and what the fee should be should be the same nation wide.

[krustykittens]

Thank you for answering. Do you think that planning regs should be different from region to region to take into account what investment and kind of businesses a region needs, such as the Scottish Borders?

[Ginorchoc]

Thank you appreciate it

[Plannergirl9]

@Keeptrudging if it was a new application (with new reference number) you probably should have been notified. If it was the same reference then it may have been an amendment which don't always need re-notified.

[Plannergirl9]

@krustykittens building warrents (building regulations) is completely separate from planning. You would need to ask them.

[Plannergirl9]

@krustykittens agricultural businesses have a greater amount of development which can be done without planning permission (permitted development). Development associated with Equine businesses which include the breeding and boarding of horses need planning permission as it is in a different class to agriculture. The fee for agricultural and equine development is based off the size of the development area in hectares. The difference is that the fee per hectare is greater for equine development than that for agriculture.

[Keeptrudging]

Thanks plannergirl, we were notified of the much further away site (rural) as nearest neighbours, but not when the application was resubmitted less than 20m from our boundary. Feels very like neighbour pulled a fast one, putting original application somewhere nobody would object to, knowing it would be refused as it was in a v random place (middle of a field), then changing site knowing we wouldn't be notified as we hadn't objected.

[krustykittens]

Can I also ask why a barn that doesn't have agricultural permission needs a building warrant when the same barn that has agricultural permission does not?

[krustykittens]

Hi Plannergirl9, I live in the Scottish Borders which is very dependent on horse-based tourism. The council here have been great for putting in core networks etc but planning costs a fortune for equine related buildings compared to agricultural. It holds equine businesses back - why is anything equine-related so expensive when it is a rural business and brings in much-needed revenue to areas like the Borders?

[Plannergirl9]

@QuietlyPondering I have planning undergraduate degree from a Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) affiliated University and I am fully chartered. Other people I work with have geography degrees and have done a planning post graduate diploma.

I would have a look at the RTPI website as it has details of the different routes to becoming a planner.

[Plannergirl9]

@HirplesWithHaggis to be honest I'm not sure. On a day to day level it has not effect on me doing my job. I'm unsure that the environmental concerns have been satisfied enough as yet.

[Plannergirl9]

@CaliforniaLoove I would definitely do it, I'm a bit biased as I really love my job. There are jobs out there depending if you want to work in the private or public sector.

[Plannergirl9]

@Keeptrudging the council is responsible for neighbour notification for properties within a 20m boundary of the development site. I'm not sure way you were notified outside this.

[GhostsToMonsoon]

How much does the Scottish planning system differ from that in England?

[thricethebrindledcat]

*would you have to keep quiet (to keep your job, I meant)

[thricethebrindledcat]

Would you keep quiet about corruption, inducements and backhanders if any came to your notice?

[QuietlyPondering]

How did you get into this career and what qualifications would I need if I were to get into this job role? I come from a design / construction background but looking for a change.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

How do you feel about the Scottish Government's blanket ban on planning permission for fracking?

[CaliforniaLoove]

I'm considering doing a RTPI accredited Spatial Planning Masters so I'm super happy to see this thread, are there jobs available at the moment and would you recommend it?

[Keeptrudging]

Why did we get neighbour notification for my neighbour's new house, sited nowhere in sight of us (to which we didn't object), yet no notification at all when the initial application was rejected and he resited it to within metres of our boundary, which was approved? First we knew was when building work started, checked application online and sure enough, old application has disappeared, new one approved. It's too late to do anything.

[Plannergirl9]

@Ginorchoc no you can change from C2 to C1 without requiring permission but not the other way around.

[Plannergirl9]

@unadventuretime sometimes yes. It can be difficult for us as we have to use valid planning reasons for refusal as the applicant can appeal.

[Ginorchoc]

Can you change from C1 to C2 under permitted development without planning permission? You can now in England and Wales however I wasn’t sure in Scotland

[unadventuretime]

Do you ever feel sorry for neighbours who you know will have their house affected by an extension but can't legally object? (I may have been in this position and was surprised about how few reasons to legally object there are in Scotland! The planning person even said to me that she didn't like what they were doing but unfortunately it was technically within the law).