The Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) (Scotland) Rules 1997

Statement of reasons for direction by Secretary of State

11.  In the case of a referred application–

(a) the Secretary of State shall, where this has not already been done, not later than 4 weeks after the relevant date serve or cause to be served on the applicant, on the planning authority and on all statutory parties, a written statement of the reasons for his direction that the application be referred to him and of any matters which seem to him to be likely to be relevant to his consideration of the application; and

(b) where a government department have expressed in writing to the Secretary of State the view that the application should not be granted either wholly or in part, or should be granted only subject to conditions, or, in the case of an application for consent under a tree preservation order, should be granted together with a direction requiring the replanting of trees or, in the case of any application, that it should be granted, the Secretary of State shall include this expression of view in his statement and shall supply a copy of the statement to the government department concerned.