The Flow Country has been designated as a World Heritage Site. What are the implications for the planning system?
The Flow Country
UNESCO has designated The Flow Country, in the Highland Council area, as a World Heritage Site, within the natural properties section.
It is described as the most outstanding example of an actively accumulating blanket bog landscape.
It is designated under the criteria:
to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
World Heritage Site
The WHS designation is unusual, because there is no statutory protection within the planning system, in contrast to national scenic areas, listed buildings, etc.
The legal provisions are:
- A planning authority must consult Historic Environment Scotland before determining a planning application for a development which may affect a World Heritage Site.
- Notification to Scottish Ministers where the planning authority propose to grant permission despite a HES objection.
- Some permitted development rights do not apply in WHSs.
NPF4
The Scottish Government policy (NPF4, policy 7) is that development proposals affecting a World Heritage Site, or its setting, will only be supported where their Outstanding Universal Value is protected and preserved.
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