Highland Council Planning Applications

Search and explore Highland Council planning applications. Planning Signal is your free alternative to the Highland Council planning portal — search all recent applications, track decisions, and get alerts on new developments in the area.

Region: Scotland

About Highland Council

Governance

Leader: Raymond Bremner (SNP), since 26 May 2022

Chief Executive: Derek Brown, since 4 September 2023

Seats: 74 councillors (term: Full council elected every 5 years)

Last election: 5 May 2022

Political composition: SNP (21), Independent (16), Liberal Democrat (15), Conservative (6), Scottish Greens (4), Labour (2), Alba (1), Independent (9)

Council Planning Features

Planning Applications - Browse all applications submitted to Highland Council, filterable by status, type, and size
Planning Activity Summary - Approval rates, average decision times, and application type distribution for Highland Council
Keyword Scorecard - See how often applications in Highland Council mention key planning constraints like heritage, flood risk, and environmental concerns
Council Boundary Map - Interactive map showing the council boundary and application locations
Full Details - View complete application details, dates and decision status

Council Insights

Property Prices

Area Information

Admin district: Highland
Parliamentary constituency: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
LSOA: Alness - 01

Crime Statistics

0 crimes reported in 2026-03.

Keyword Scorecard

Planning constraint analysis based on the last 24 months of applications in Highland Council.

Ecology & Wildlife Constraints (keywords: bats, bat survey, bat roost, great crested newt, GCN...)
Trees & Landscape (keywords: tree preservation order, TPO, arboricultural, tree survey, root protection area...)
Flood & Drainage (keywords: flood zone 2, flood zone 3, flood risk assessment, FRA, surface water...)
Heritage & Conservation (keywords: listed building, grade II, grade II*, grade I, conservation area...)
Green Belt (keywords: green belt, inappropriate development, very special circumstances, openness)
Highways & Access (keywords: visibility splays, highway authority objection, access arrangement, parking provision, transport statement...)
Refusal & Risk Indicators (keywords: refusal, delegated refusal, appeal dismissed, overdevelopment, character and appearance...)
Planning Process & Appeals (keywords: appeal lodged, appeal allowed, appeal dismissed, public inquiry, inspector)

Planning Activity Summary

Approval rates, average decision times, and application type distribution for Highland Council based on the last 24 months of planning data.

Towns and villages in Highland Council

1130 towns and villages. Click any town to search for planning applications nearby.

Flood Risk

No active flood warnings in the Highland Council area.

A brief summary of Highland Council

Highland Council serves as the local authority for the Highland region, one of Scotland's 32 council areas. Its headquarters is situated in Inverness, making it a central hub for planning applications and local governance in this picturesque part of Scotland. The council is currently led by Raymond Bremner (SNP). The council comprises 74 councillors seats, with the most recent election held on 5 May 2022.

There were no crimes reported in the Highland Council area during the most recent reporting period.

The council area encompasses 1130 towns and villages, including Alness, Armadale, Cromarty, Dingwall, Dornoch and Fortrose. Planning applications across these communities can be searched using the postcode search above.

Search Highland Council Planning Applications

Planning Signal provides a free, fast planning search for Highland Council. Use the postcode search above to find planning applications near any address in the Highland Council area. Unlike the official Highland Council planning portal, Planning Signal lets you save searches, watch individual applications, and receive email alerts when decisions are made or new applications are submitted nearby.

Whether you're a resident checking Highland Council planning applications near your home, a homeowner tracking your own application, or a property professional monitoring the local market, Planning Signal gives you the tools to stay informed about planning and development across Highland Council.

Planning Activity

In the last 24 months, 1,109 planning applications Highland Council received. Of these, 90% were approved, with an average decision time of 67 days.

This is slightly above the national average of approximately 87%, indicating a broadly favourable planning environment in Highland Council.

At 67 days on average, decisions in Highland Council slightly exceed the 8-week statutory target for minor applications, though this is common across many councils.

The most common application types in Highland Council were full planning applications (504), outline applications (317), amendments (85). Full planning applications account for 45% of all submissions, covering new builds, change of use, and works that go beyond permitted development rights.

In terms of development scale, 21 large-scale (major) developments, 758 medium-scale applications, 310 smaller schemes were submitted. The high volume of major applications indicates significant development pressure in the area, which may interest property developers and investors.

Application Outcomes

Approved: 464 applications
Refused: 13 applications
Withdrawn: 36 applications
Awaiting decision: 590 applications

Related Planning Guides

What Is Planning Permission in the UK? — Planning permission is the formal approval you need from your local council before making certain changes to a building or piece of land.
What Is Permitted Development? — Permitted development rights allow certain building works and changes of use without the need to apply for planning permission.
How Long Does Planning Permission Take? — Typical timelines for planning permission decisions in the UK, from submission to approval, and what can cause delays.