Currently only developers have the right of appeal

The executive says discussions on planning reform are ongoing, despite a leaked memo detailing the plans.

Duncan McLaren, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, has accused ministers of "an astonishing degree of arrogance".

He claims they will be going against overwhelming public support if they scrap the introduction of the rights.

In the memo, Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm writes that the executive is looking at radically changing the planning laws but he's "concluded it would be unwise to pursue a third party right of appeal".

At the moment, developers can appeal to the executive if a council turns them down.

However, third parties - local community objectors - have no such right of appeal and environmental campaigners have been arguing that is unfair.

'Economic gains'

The executive had promised to consult on widening the right to appeal to third parties, a method which exists in many other European planning systems, including the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland, as well as in Australia.

But ministers now seem set to shelve the plan altogether.

Any rejection would call into question the much-repeated commitment of ministers to environmental justice Dr Richard Dixon WWF Scotland

Mr McLaren hit out at the executive over the issue.

He said: "The public gave third party right of appeals huge support during the consultation period but the executive seems to be pandering to what we can only imagine is special pleading from business.

"Nothing in this reform package is going to address the fundamental injustice and, like the M74, faced with a choice between greater justice and economic gains for the privileged, the executive has opted for the latter."

His views were echoed by WWF Scotland and the RSPB.

Lloyd Austin, RSPB Scotland spokesman, said: "If true, this report is extremely disappointing and I would urge the executive to re-consider.

"When asked, in the executive's own consultation, 86% of respondents supported a limited third party right of appeal.

"Such a right would restore fairness to the planning system, giving communities and the environment better protection.

"Experience overseas, such as in Ireland, has demonstrated that such a system is not an impediment to business."

'Bad to worse'

Dr Richard Dixon, of WWF Scotland, added: "The David and Goliath struggle between communities and large companies over planning applications is a clear case of environmental injustice, particularly since only the developer is allowed to appeal.

"Giving the overwhelming support for third party rights, it is hard to see how the executive could justify rejecting it.

"Any such rejection would call into question the much-repeated commitment of ministers to environmental justice."

Business groups have previously warned that the planning system is already complicated and that any further burdens will deter growth.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said the executive's record on environmental justice had gone from "bad to worse".