A new South Ayrshire planning boss has agreed with a councillor’s criticism over the lack of site visits for planning applications.
Since 2020, planning officers have used photographs to assess sites, rather then physically visit them, even outdoors.
Girvan Councillor Alec Clark said that the policy was a concern, pointing out that he had joined official in physical visits as part of planning appeals.
He said: “One of frustration for members has been because lots of applications are being dealt with by photographs, with no officer visits.
“Yet site visits have taken place with local review body members and officers.
“I think that, in some of the cases, photographs don’t always do justice, and doesn’t give an idea of the site.
“I understood it at the beginning of the pandemic. But as it went on and restrictions were lifted on outside visits, why have officers not visited sites?”
Craig Iles, who took up the head of planning at South Ayrshire Council at the turn of the year, said: “I can’t give definitive answer, but I tend to agree.
“Many councils were struggling to deliver the service. We must remember that, at the beginning of the pandemic, we were not allowed out for more than one walk a day.”
Mr Iles pointed out that the Scottish Government encouraged the use of photographs in order to maintain the processing of planning applications.
He said: “I would like to see officer make a site visit for every application that comes through. Photographs don’t tell you everything and you don’t get a full understanding of the environment you’re in.”
He did point out that there were cases where officers were well enough acquainted with an application site, that a visit was not as necessary.
Councillor Clark welcomed the move and said ‘it would help the process altogether’.
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