Controversial plans in Edinburgh could be decided by just five councillors during coronavirus crisis

CONTROVERSIAL planning decisions in the Capital could be taken by just five councillors under emergency procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.

Routine applications are to be handled by officials because of the lockdown, while any contentious proposals will still be discussed in public - but only via Skype by the council’s cross-party leadership advisory panel.

The panel - made up of the leaders of the five main political groups on the council - discussed the arrangements for dealing with planning matters when it met via Skype to agree urgent issues.

Conservative group leader Iain Whyte suggested the development management sub-committee, which normally deals with planning applications, could also meet by Skype.

Officials said they were open-minded on the idea, although one said managing 15 members online might cause difficulties.

Cllr Whyte said: “I don’t see why we can’t at least have a go at holding a development management sub on Skype - if councillors accept a willingness to behave politely and appropriately I’m sure it could work very well.”

And he said since he sub-committee was a quasi-judicial body where members served as individuals rather than following a party whip, it was not appropriate just to have party representatives making the decisions.

He said: “Sending one person from each party won’t properly reflect the range of views on the committee and certainly won’t reflect the views of the wider community.”

And Lib Dem group leader Robert Aldridge added: “I’m concerned this is making party political something which should not be party political.”

Council leader Adam McVey argued the leadership advisory panel should take on the responsibility for deciding significant applications, but with the parties’ planning spokesmen taking the place of the group leaders.

He said that would still mean major proposals would be considered in public.

And he gave the example of the proposed 11-storey building in Festival Square, off Lothian Road, as a new home for the Filmhouse.

The £50 million eye-shaped building has been billed as a “21st century temple for film”

Cllr McVey said: “If that came forward as an application it would obviously be very significant. The intention would be to have this sort of decision come through the leadership advisory panel.

“I believe a panel of five, cross-party, gives an adequate position of scrutiny for decision-making, even sitting in a quasi-judicial non-whipped setting.”

A report to the panel on the potential arrangements made the case for decisions not to be delayed because of Covid-19.

It said: “Many of the planning applications that normally require to be determined by committee are for the largest developments in Edinburgh.

“These may be relatively at early stages of the design process and if planning decisions can be made as early as possible, it will allow developers to continue their work so that when the coronavirus measures reduce or end, development within the city can more readily continue. This approach therefore helps the resilience of the city’s economy.”