s 218 Applications for planning permission by statutory undertakers.
(1) Where— (a) an application for planning permission to develop land to which this subsection applies is made by statutory undertakers and is referred to the Scottish Ministers under Part III, or (b) an appeal is made to the Scottish Ministers under that Part from the decision on such an application, ... (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the application or appeal shall be dealt with by the Scottish Ministers . (2) Subsection (1) applies to— (a) operational land, and (b) land in which the statutory undertakers hold or propose to acquire an interest with a view to its being used for the purpose of carrying on their undertaking, where the planning permission, if granted on the application or appeal, would be for development involving the use of the land for that purpose. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) Subsection (2)(b) shall have effect in relation to the Civil Aviation Authority as if for the reference to development involving the use of land for the purpose of carrying on the Civil Aviation Authority’s undertaking there were substituted a reference to development involving the use of land for such of the purposes of carrying on that undertaking as may be prescribed.