Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997

2 (1) Two or more of the matters mentioned in section 70(2) (“referred matters”) may be referred to the same joint commission if it appears to the responsible Ministers that they relate to proposals to carry out development for similar purposes on different sites.

(2) Where a referred matter relates to a proposal to carry out development for any purpose at a particular site, the responsible Ministers may also refer to the commission the question whether development for that purpose should be instead carried out at an alternative site, whether in Scotland or in England, or partly in one and partly in the other.

(3) On referring a matter to a joint commission, the responsible Ministers—

(a) shall state in the reference the reasons for it, and

(b) may draw the attention of the commission to any points which seem to them to be relevant to their inquiry.