Scotland's planning system is separate from England's. It has its own Act, the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, its own national policy, its own permitted development rules and its own appeal routes. Here is what is different.
Who decides
Applications go to one of Scotland's 32 councils, or to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority inside that park. In the Cairngorms National Park the local council decides most applications, and the park authority can call in the ones that matter to the park.
National policy is National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted in 2023. It is part of every council's development plan, so it carries real weight in decisions.
Planning permission in principle, not outline
Scotland has no outline planning permission. Instead you can apply for planning permission in principle, then approve the details through applications for "matters specified in conditions". Planning permission in principle lasts 5 years unless the council sets a different period (section 59).
Full permission lasts 3 years
Full planning permission in Scotland must be started within 3 years of the grant, unless the council sets a different period (section 58).
Scotland adds two steps England does not have:
- Notice of initiation of development: before you start work, you must tell the council the date you will start (section 27A).
- Notice of completion: when the work is finished, you tell the council that too.
Permitted development rules are Scottish
Scotland uses the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, as amended. Its limits for house extensions, porches, outbuildings and changes of use are different from England's. Check the Scottish rules before you rely on any guide written for England.
Appeals: local review or the DPEA
Scotland has two appeal routes, and your decision notice tells you which applies:
- Local review body: if an officer decided a local development under the council's scheme of delegation, you ask the council's local review body, a panel of councillors, to review it (section 43A).
- The DPEA: other appeals go to the Scottish Government's Planning and Environmental Appeals Division.
In both cases you have 3 months from the decision.
The biggest projects
Power stations over 50 megawatts, including large wind and solar farms and battery sites, need consent from the Scottish Ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, not from the council. Overhead power lines need consent under section 37 of the same Act. National developments are listed in NPF4.
See every large energy project in play in Scotland, with its stage and site boundary, on our national infrastructure map for Scotland.
Search planning applications in Scotland
Planning Signal covers every Scottish council and both national parks. Our records for Scotland are about as complete as for England: close to nine in ten of the applications councils publish. Browse a council:
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Aberdeen
- Aberdeenshire
- Dundee
- Highland
- Fife
- Perth and Kinross
- Stirling
- Scottish Borders
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Argyll and Bute
- South Lanarkshire
- North Lanarkshire
- West Lothian
- East Lothian
- Midlothian
- Moray
- South Ayrshire
- Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
All 32 councils are on our councils page. For how Scotland compares with the rest of the UK, see planning in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, or read our guides to planning permission in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
How long does planning permission last in Scotland?
Full planning permission lasts 3 years from the grant, and planning permission in principle 5 years, unless the council sets a different period.
Do I need to tell the council before I start work?
Yes. In Scotland you must send a notice of initiation of development before you start, giving the date work will begin.
What is a local review body?
A panel of councillors that reviews decisions officers made on local developments under the council's scheme of delegation. You ask for a review instead of appealing to the Scottish Government.
Who decides a wind farm in Scotland?
Over 50 megawatts, the Scottish Ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Smaller schemes go to the council as an ordinary planning application.