I thank the convener and all committee members for allowing me to speak to you again about the petition, which was lodged by my constituent Isobel Kelly on behalf of the Gartcosh Tenants and Residents Association. I thank Isobel and everyone in the association for their work on the issue.
I promise to be brief, convener. As you know, when the petition came before the committee last October, we discussed and agreed on the need for housing development. We also agreed that robust legislation must be in place to protect the natural environment, places of local interest and the rights of people who live in small communities to make valued input into planning applications and decisions that will affect their lives and communities.
Thank you for passing on the extensive responses that you have received. It took me a while to read through them, and having done so I am satisfied that the issues that are raised in the petition will be fairly and robustly addressed by new legislation. Isobel Kelly and the association can be proud of their role in that.
In the context of local planning, lessons have been learned in North Lanarkshire Council as a result of the Gartcosh and Glenboig example: the local authority has acknowledged that the community growth area model is unlikely to be repeated.
Our population is ever growing and development is much needed. However, as I have said, development requires to be sympathetic to the needs of existing communities and the people who will become part of those communities. I am satisfied that new legislation and guidance will be robust enough to address the issues that are raised in the petition.
On the committee’s possible courses of action, I recommend that you raise the issue with the Local Government and Communities Committee for consideration as part of its scrutiny of the draft national planning framework 4.
This is a good outcome for the petitioner. The issues that affect Gartcosh and Glenboig affect the whole country and should be highlighted at national level.
I reassure the association and the “Save Stepps green belt” campaign group in the north of my constituency, which I mentioned when the committee discussed the petition previously, that, as restrictions to do with the pandemic are eased, I am looking at how we can set up a cross-party round-table event on the issues that both groups have raised with me.
I hope that that was helpful to the committee.