SCOTTISH ministers have been warned they face a humiliating defeat on the first overhaul of the country’s planning system in 20 years.

MSPs voted 107 to four in favour of the general principles of the Planning (Scotland) Bill at Holyrood, but all opposition parties promised to try to amend it later.

Local government minister Kevin Stewart was told that unless there were substantial changes, the minority SNP government would fail to get the legislation passed.

The Bill is intended to update the 1997 law that currently governs the planning system.

Ministers say it will give communities a greater and earlier influence in the system.

However the opposition parties say it will concentrate power in the government’s hands.

Tory MSP Graeme Simpson calling it a “power grab” and “very centralising”.

He said: “There's little in this Bill that we like, it pleases no-one but the Scottish Government.

“Housebuilders say it doesn't deliver for them, environmentalists say it doesn't deliver for them, communities are unimpressed, it's centralising, it's all about the minister.”

Labour's Monica Lennon criticised the Bill for "a centralising tendency throughout" and "half-baked" plans for an infrastructure levy.

"The Bill will require significant amendment at stage two to make it fit for purpose,” she said.

Green Andy Wightman said the Bill was not the bold, transformative change the planning system needed, but merely “concentrates further power in the hands of ministers, pays lip service to genuine public engagement and removes valuable strategic planning powers”.

LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton, whose party was the only one to vote against the Bill at Stage One, said it “fundamentally undermines autonomy and accountability”.

Holyrood’s local government has also warned the Bill does not do enough for communities.

Mr Stewart rejected calls for third parties to be able to appeal planning decisions.

He said: “Stronger engagement at the outset will be much more constructive than adding adversarial appeals at the end. There's already too much conflict and mistrust in the system.

"A third party or equal right of appeal can only add to that and that would run entirely counter to the positive collaboration pursued through the Bill.

"We should not do anything that could restrict the potential for future investment in Scotland by removing or limiting applicants' rights to appeal.”