The Scottish Government is being accused of ignoring Dundee planning decisions after an “alarming” 62% were granted on appeal.
The annual total for 2020-21 is higher than the Scottish average of 45% and at odds with neighbouring local authorities.
In Angus, just 20% of appeals are granted by government ministers along with 42% in Fife and 50% in Perth and Kinross.
No appeals from applications rejected by the Cairngorms National Park Authority were granted.
Scottish Conservatives say it is “ridiculous” for the government to over-rule the SNP-led city council so many times.
‘Government thinks it knows best’
In the past year, 13 rejected planning applications were submitted to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division at the government – eight of these appeals were granted and the original ruling by Dundee City Council overturned.
One of the biggest developments to be overturned in the past year included 150 new homes at Stewart Milne’s Ballumbie Rise development.
Proposals by BT to replace old payphones on Dundee High Street with digital advertising screens were also overturned by the Scottish Government.
North East MSP Maurice Golden said: “People and businesses in Dundee will be alarmed at how readily ministers in Edinburgh are overturning planning decisions made locally.
“Clearly the Scottish Government thinks it knows best when it comes to what the city needs, and that’s a troubling attitude.
“The SNP is forever going on about power grabs, but it seems the party is more than happy to big-foot decisions on appeal when it suits is own agenda.”
Mr Golden added there will be “the odd occasion” where the council and the government disagree on a planning decision, but added: “For the Scottish Government to over-rule Dundee council on almost two-thirds of cases is ridiculous.”
This is not the first time the government has been accused of “running roughshod” over local democracy when it comes to planning.
In 2020 66% of planning appeals in Dundee were overturned by the government, including a number of major housing developments.
‘Independent’
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The vast majority of planning appeals which come to Scottish ministers are decided by an independent reporter, who is required to take into account local views and make the decision on the planning merits of the case in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.”
The government said 94.5% of planning applications were granted locally.
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said some planning applications will have been recommended for approval in the first place but then refused by elected councillors.
The council added: “Applicants that are unhappy with the planning committee’s decision have the right of appeal. This is a key aspect of the planning process.
“The most critical point to make is that the planning system in Scotland allows for different views.”