A nationwide planning application website will have save an estimated £71million by the end of the decade, it was claimed yesterday.
Since it was established in 2009 more than 100,000 people and business have saved an average of £241 by submitting planning applications to the ePlanning Scotland website, according to the Scottish Government.
The site provide an easy-to-use online system to complete and send in planning applications and appeals across all Scottish local authorities.
More than 60% of all applications and appeals are being submitted online as opposed to using the traditional paper applications.
Speaking ahead of his keynote speech to today annual conference of the local authority group Cosla, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil said a modern and efficient planning system plays a “crucial role” in economic growth.
“For years, members of the public and the business community across Scotland were mired in red tape. Filling out paperwork was laborious and costly,” he said.
“ePlanning Scotland has improved the overall performance of the planning system by encouraging online applications, which has simplified the process and saved money.”
The Scottish Government predicts that over a 10-year period to 2019, the website will have saves the public sector more than £22.5million and the private sector a further £48.5million.
Saving include not using paper copies, reducing agents and applicants time, reduce printing and postage, and speedier communications.