Letter: Planning probe

Published on Friday 5 November 2010 15:48

As someone who welcomes Jim Mackinnon's engagement with the planning process on behalf of the Scottish government, I wish to set the record straight on the suggestion that it was untoward for a government employee to endorse Murray Estates' planning application (your report, 4 November).

Having attended the event, it was very clear that what Mr Mackinnon endorsed was the fact that the application had been put to public consultation. He will be well aware that the planning process has well defined paths to go through.

It is completely appropriate that those in public office should engage with all those who are stakeholders in their briefs, and I, for one, welcome Mr Mackinnon's interest in how the planning process runs in practice as a refreshing example of understanding what the words "public" and "servant" mean in a well run administration.

With an era of increasing public austerity and the pinning of many people's hopes on the private sector to drive economic recovery, we would do well to welcome for public scrutiny any substantial investment offers that might drive that recovery.

Ron Hewitt

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

Festival Square

Edinburgh