Community and Enterprise Resources

The Planning and Building Standards Service delivers the statutory functions for Planning and Building Standards.

The purpose of the Planning Service is to manage the development and use of land in the long term public interest. This involves

• The preparation of the council’s Local Development Plan which sets out how our local places will change into the future, including where development should and should not happen. They identify where new homes and workplaces will be built, how services and facilities, such as education and travel, will be provided and identify the places to be protected.
• The preparation of an Open Space Strategy which sets out the council’s policies and proposals in relation to the development, maintenance and use of green infrastructure.
• The assessment of applications for planning permission for proposed developments ranging from extensions and alterations to houses to new housing developments and windfarms.
• In addition the service is responsible for determining applications for listed building consent, conservation area consent and advertisement consent.
• The investigation of potential breaches of planning control and taking enforcement action where appropriate.

The purpose of the Building Standards Service is to ensure that work carried out on new and existing buildings meets reasonable standards. These standards are set out in the building regulations and are intended to ensure buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable. This involves

• The assessment of applications for a building warrant to ensure compliance with regulations and associated technical standards. This includes looking at the fitness of materials and structural stability; fire safety precautions; prevention of dampness and condensation, energy conservation, drainage, and electrical and other hazards.

• The inspection of work on site and consideration of completion certificate submissions when work is complete.
• A range of enforcement activities relating to unauthorised works and defective and dangerous buildings.

Environmental Services delivers the statutory functions for Environmental Health and Trading Standards. The main aim is to protect the health, safety, environment and consumer rights of the people of South Lanarkshire.

Environmental Health is responsible for:

1. public health
2. contaminated land
3. air quality
4. noise enforcement
5. food safety
6. health and safety at work
7. fly-tipping, litter and dog fouling enforcement.

Trading Standards is responsible for:

8. weights and measures
9. product safety
10. fair trading
11. animal health

Environmental Health and Trading Standards are happy to provide advice to local businesses and members of the public in relation to the range of regulatory services they deliver.