In article ,
Malcolm wrote:

You're just weird, you are! Where, please, do I say anything about it
giving "VASTLY more powers"? I can't see any words of mine like that so
why do you claim that I have written them, or even implied them?

Because the 1971 Act does not give local authorities powers to control
things like garden walls and sheds. You are claiming that the 1997
(Scotland) Act does. That IS "VASTLY more powers".

What I have pointed out is that there is a 1997 planning act in Scotland
which, by virtue of its date, its geographic scope and the fact that it
was passed by the devolved Scottish parliament, is significantly more
relevant than the 1971 Act which you quoted. Doubly so as the 1971 Act
has a Scotland version, the 1972 Act, which is specifically repealed by
the 1997 Act.

You are also claiming that the ONLY people who can give advice are
the local authority. For that to be true, they would have to have
powers to control the developments in question. If they don't have,
then ANYONE who knows the 1997 Act can say "Build away. If they
hassle you, tell them to bugger off."

Your presumptions are, as usual, unwarranted.

Err, no, I don't think so. I know you are a (self-professed) expert in a
wide diversity of subjects but somehow I doubt whether the operation of
Scottish local authority planning departments or Scottish planning law
is among them. I don't pretend to expertise, but at least I have some
personal experience of both.

Your presumption that I was basing my statements on English court
cases is unwarranted. For example, I have received Email from several
Scottish residents about their hassles with planning authorities and,
in some cases, the difference between the law as written and the law
as interpreted by them.

But, and it seems one has to return to this point, he *still* *has* to
contact his local authority planning department if he wants *any* advice
on what he is or is not permitted to do specifically in Aberdeen.
Offering advice (or background) based on the situation in England either
now or 30 years ago is not going to help him.

Twaddle. If the local authority planning department has no powers
to restrict what he can do, then he does not need to contact them
for advice or anything else. Even if it does, he can get advice
from anyone who knows the situation, whether via uk.legal or by
paying a lawyer.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.