Planning fees for health-related developments in the county have been reduced by half following a meeting of East Lothian Council on Tuesday (24 June).
Elected members approved a 50 per cent decrease in the charges paid by applicants to the council’s Planning Service in a move aimed at helping to improve the health of residents.
The reduction will apply to proposed developments which, in the opinion of the planning authority, have the primary purpose of contributing to a not-for-profit or social enterprise and, in addition, are likely to bring health benefits to the community.
A number of local authorities, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth & Kinross, already offer reduced planning fees for these types of applications.
The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 gave planning authorities the ability to waive or reduce any fee for certain applications.
Councillor Norman Hampshire, East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Planning, said: “The council is committed to helping residents of all ages stay healthy and improve their wellbeing.
"We hope this 50 per cent reduction in planning fees will encourage the creation of more health-related developments in the county and offer our communities new ways to live healthier lives.”