Role of the planning committee

Last updated: 2 July 2025

For larger or more controversial applications, a planning committee may determine a planning application instead of the planning officers. The precise circumstances for an application to be referred to committee for determination will be set out in the authority’s scheme of delegation and other protocols. The number of objection or support letters received that are contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation is often the key factor for an application to be determined by committee. 

A planning committee is made up of a certain number of elected councillors, often referred to as elected members. Details of the councillors forming the planning committee are usually available on the planning authority’s website.   

In Scotland’s two national parks, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms National Park, the planning committee are made up of Board members.  

In rare circumstances, planning decisions are made by the whole council committee. These tend to be very large and controversial applications.  

Planning authorities vary in how they let people know if an application is going to committee and when. Often, they will write to or email people who have objected to or supported the application. Generally, the committee agenda will be issued before the meeting, but this is sometimes done just a few days before. 

When an application goes to the planning committee for determination, the planning officer will write a report providing a detailed summary of the application. They will give a reasoned recommendation to the planning committee, either for approval or refusal of the application. The officer’s report, known as a ‘committee report,’ should be made publicly available before the committee meeting.     

The way that planning committees are carried out varies across all the 34 planning authorities in Scotland. Generally, details of the application will be presented to elected members by a planning officer at the committee meeting. Sometimes, the applicant (or someone speaking for them), objectors and supporters are given the opportunity to address the committee, but some committees don’t do this. Following any questions and general debate, committee members then take a vote on whether to approve or refuse the application, or alternatively they may vote to defer a determination if they feel they need further information or a site visit. Individual councillors can make their decision without visiting the site, which is not ideal but can happen.  

They are often made available online, so people do not need to attend in person. Again, there is quite a lot of variation between planning authorities in the way this is done and it’s best to check the planning authority websites. It will usually be under the committee meeting sections.  

Planning committees sometimes have slightly different names in different areas, for instance, Highland Council has a North Planning Application Committee and a South Planning Application Committee, which deal with applications in the relevant areas.  

Planning committee meetings are open to members of the public. Interested parties, such as neighbours or objectors, sometimes have the opportunity to speak briefly at the meeting to make their views known. If you feel passionately about a development proposal and want to highlight your concerns to the committee members, it can be a good idea to speak at a committee meeting – to do this, you usually need to let the planning committee or case officer know before the meeting. As all planning authorities do things differently, it is best to look at the website or contact the case officer or committee clerk to ask for more information.  

You could also consider writing to your local councillor or the committee members before the committee highlighting your concerns. However, it is important to note that committee members need to decide the application taking into account the information that is presented at the committee, therefore, they should not have formed or expressed a view before the meeting. If they do, they might not be able to vote at the meeting. 

When making a decision on a planning application, a planning committee, just like a planning officer, should be mainly considering the Development Plan, which is made up of NPF4 and the local development plan for the area. They also need to take into account any other national and local material considerations, such as other policies and guidance.  

A planning application should not be refused just because people oppose it, but in practice committee members are often influenced by strong or numerous local objections and do not always follow the planning officer's advice. However, if the planning authority doesn't have sound planning reasons for refusal, this leaves them open to an appeal by the applicant and potentially their appeal costs.  

Planning Democracy guidance – how to respond to a planning application (page 21 onwards discusses planning committees)