Make a planning application

The following is intended to help you if you are thinking that you may need to apply for planning permission from the Council. It is set out largely in a ‘question and answer’ format. If you have any questions that are not answered here, then please feel free to phone and ask or email.

If you are thinking of developing your property, for example by building an extension or changing the use of your property, you need to consider whether you need planning permission.

Not all development actually needs planning permission, for instance, if you are extending your house, then up to certain limits and in certain locations, it might be classed as ‘permitted development’ and you may do it without needing planning permission from the Council. In addition to the need for planning permission, there may also be the need for other Council consents such as Listed Building Consent, Conservation Area Consent and Building Warrant, even when planning permission is not required. The rules are quite complex so it is not possible to give an easy summary of them here.

The rules and permitted development levels are much stricter in certain areas, including within conservation areas and if concerning a listed building.

If you are in any doubt you should contact the Planning Service or appoint a professional planning consultant. If you are contacting the Planning Service, other than for very general advice, you are advised to write to us enclosing a sketch drawing of your proposals, with a location plan and with the dimensions of both the proposal and the original building, then we can provide you with an informed reply.

Where you do need planning permission, you will need to complete application forms, submit the relevant fee, submit plans and drawings, and notify the owner of the property if you don’t own it yourself. Some applications also need to be advertised in a local newspaper.

Forms and guidance notes are available for downloading at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, you can complete an application, including submitting of forms and drawings online at the ePlanning Scotland website Scotland website. You can also pay your planning fee online by debit or credit card. Please note that there will be no surcharge/fee for payments by debit card but a 2% surcharge will apply to payments being made by credit card.

The Council has produced guidance for access and gated lanes in order to provide clear and practical advice for the Council's Development Management Service and help inform members of the public and local communities affected by these issues. This guidance can be found in the Related Documents at the bottom of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Do all developments need planning consent?
Answer: Some minor developments can go ahead without planning permission, e.g. small rear extensions to houses and garages up to certain size limits – this is called “permitted development”. Where a listed building is involved, in conservation areas or where permitted development rights have been removed for example by ‘Article 4 Directions’, consent is needed for nearly all development. There are other specialised classes of permitted development, for example for telecommunications and agricultural buildings.
Question: How big an extension can I build without needing planning consent?
Answer: The rules are too complex to explain in a simple form here, and in all cases we would recommend that professional advice is sought. As an indication, providing that you are not in a conservation area or a listed building, and providing permitted development rights have not already been removed, the following gives a guide:

(i) if you are in a flatted property, you need permission for virtually all extensions and developments.

(ii) if you are in a detached or semi-detached house, you can extend up to 24m2 of floorspace or 20% of the floor area of the house whichever is the greater (or in any case, no more than 30m2), providing:

a) the extension isn’t to the front of the property or within 20metres of a road; or
b) more than 4metres high within two metres of a boundary; or
c) does not (along with any previous extensions) take up more than 30% of the curtilage of the property

(iii) if you are in a terraced house, you can extend up to 16m2 of floorspace or 10% of the floor area of the house (or in any case, no more than 30m2) (and subject to the same constraints a – c as above)
Dormer windows always need planning permission
Question: What consent do I need if I am in a conservation area or listed building?
Answer: In these cases (and other cases where ‘permitted development’ rights have been removed), the regulations are stricter and you will need to apply for permission for more relatively minor development. You may need to apply for ‘Conservation Area Consent’ for alterations that would not otherwise need planning permission. You may also need to apply for ‘Listed Building Consent’.

There are no fees associated with these types of applications. Please contact the Planning Service if you are in any doubt about what consents you need. In each of these cases it will be particularly important that your proposal is sympathetic to the character of the original/existing building or area.
Question: Do I need planning permission for a fence?
Answer: Fences, gates and walls generally do not need permission where they are up to 1 metre in height if within 20 metres of a road/footway; or up to 2 metres in height in any other case. Permission would be needed for any height of enclosure around a listed building.
Question: Do I need planning permission to alter the windows on my property?
Answer: For most houses the answer is no. However if you are in a listed building, a conservation area or a flat then you will need permission unless your are re-installing them in the original design with original materials.

There are more Frequently Asked Questions - View the complete list