Local communities have, yet again, had their requests for real rights denied by the majority of the Scottish Parliament’s communities committee. The Stage 1 report published today concludes that a majority of the committee do not see any need for communities, local authorities or individuals to have the right to participate in a formal examination of the National Planning Framework. This will enable any current or future government to establish the principle of development for national developments without the risk of public challenge. As it stands, the legislation will allow Scottish Ministers to designate any individual development or development type as a national development and include it in the National Planning Framework. This could include energy developments, waste disposal sites, major areas of urban expansion, roads and railways. Once included in the Framework the principle of the development cannot be challenged.