The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division’s annual report shows that 164 local authority planning decisions out of 367 were overturned by the Scottish Government in 2021/22, a rate of 45%.

The most affected local authority area was Argyll and Bute where six out of seven decisions were overturned. East Dunbartonshire, South Ayrshire, Dundee City and Highland Councils all saw more than 60% of the decisions they made overturned.

In total, 18 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities had a rate of more than half of decisions being lost on appeal by Scottish Government ministers.

Shadow local government secretary Miles Briggs has accused ministers of a “power grab” on local authorities and holding a “blatant disregard for local views”.

He is bringing forward a Local Government Powers and Protection Bill to ensure “no planning decisions made locally would be overturned”.

Mr Briggs said: “This is the latest clear evidence of an SNP power grab on our local authorities.

“It is completely unacceptable that almost half of decisions made by our local authorities in the last year were then overturned by the Scottish Government.”

He added: “We know the impact planning application outcomes can have on local communities, and it those local people who know how best how decisions will affect them.”

A Scottish Government spokesman pointed out that the “vast majority of planning appeals that come to Scottish ministers are decided by an independent reporter”.

He added: “They are required to take into account local views and make the decision on the planning merits of the case in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

“During the last financial year, a total of 172 planning appeal decisions in Scotland were made by reporters. In contrast, approximately 27,000 planning applications are decided each year by Scotland’s local planning authorities, of which around 94.5% are granted.”