Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997

3 (1) A reference to a joint commission of a proposal that development should be carried out by or on behalf of a government department may be made at any time.

(2) A reference of any other matter mentioned in section 70(2) may be made at any time before, but not after, the determination of the relevant referred application or the relevant appeal or, as the case may be, the giving of the relevant direction, notwithstanding that an inquiry or other hearing has been held into the proposal by a person appointed by any Minister for the purpose.

(3) Notice of the making of a reference to a joint commission shall be published in the prescribed manner.

(4) A copy of the notice shall be served on the planning authority for the district, or as the case may be the local planning authority for the area, in which it is proposed that the relevant development shall be carried out.

(5) In the case of an application for planning permission referred under section 46 of this Act or section 77 of the 1990 Act or an appeal under section 47 of this Act or section 78 of the 1990 Act, notice shall also be served—

(a) on the applicant or appellant, and

(b) on any person who has made representations, relating to the subject matter of the application or appeal, which the planning authority are required to take into account under section 38(1) or (2) of this Act or, as the case may be, the local planning authority are required to take into account under section 71(1) or (2) of the 1990 Act.

(6) In the case of a proposal that a direction should be given by a government department under section 57(1) of this Act or section 90(1) of the 1990 Act with respect to any development, notice shall also be served on the local authority or statutory undertakers applying for authorisation to carry out that development.

(7) Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, and to any directions given to them by the responsible Ministers, a joint commission shall have power to regulate their own procedure.

(8) In this paragraph “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for the Environment jointly in the exercise of their respective powers under this Act and the 1990 Act.