s 20B Development plan schemes
(1) A development plan scheme is to be prepared ... by each planning authority. (2) An authority are to prepare the scheme— (a) whenever required to do so by the Scottish Ministers, and (b) (subject to paragraph (a)) whenever the authority think it appropriate to do so but in any event within 1 year after last preparing such a scheme . (3) A development plan scheme is a document setting out the authority's programme for preparing and reviewing ... their local development plans. (4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), “programme” in that subsection includes, having regard to the provisions of this Part— (a) proposed timetabling, (b) details of what is likely to be involved at each stage of preparation or review, and (c) an account (in this Part referred to as an authority's “participation statement”) of when consultation is likely to take place and with whom and of its likely form and of the steps to be taken to involve the public at large in the stages of preparation or review. (4A) In preparing the development plan scheme the planning authority are to seek the views of, and have regard to any views expressed by the public at large as to the content of the participation statement. (5) As soon as is reasonably practicable after a development plan scheme has been adopted, the authority which prepared it are to— (a) send two copies of it to the Scottish Ministers, (b) publish it, and (c) place a copy of it in each public library in the area of the authority . (6) In subsection (5)(b), “ publish ” includes, without prejudice to that expression's generality, publish by electronic means (as for example by means of the internet). (7) Regulations may make provision as to— (a) the form and content of, and (b) the procedures for preparing and adopting, a development plan scheme.