Planning permission

Comment on Planning Applications

Highland Council Public Access is an online tool that allows you to search for both current and historical planning applications within the Highland region. This tool also allows you to submit comments on applications that are pending consideration. It offers up-to-date access to our planning database with some necessary restrictions. Anyone can search and view planning applications on the site, but to comment, save searches and track applications, you need to register your details. Learn more about copyright and the terms and conditions that apply when using the Public Access site.

Search for planning applications

If you are unfamiliar with the planning system you may consider visiting our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) webpage for additional details on the process and commonly asked questions. A list of the different types of planning permission is available from our guide to types of planning permission page.

Making a Comment on a Current Planning Application

What you Can't Comment on

In Scotland, certain applications in relation to energy infrastructure are made (under Section 36 and Section 37) to the Scottish Ministers for determination. Therefore, the final decision regarding these applications will be made by the Scottish Ministers and not The Highland Council.

As such, to make your representation, you must instead email the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit and/or Marine Directorate directly:

for applications for onshore generating stations and overhead lines under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989: representations@gov.scot
for applications for offshore renewable energy production: MD.MarineRenewables@gov.scot

Your representation will not be processed by The Highland Council as we are not the determining body, and The Highland Council can only consider valid representations made to the Energy Consents Unit and/or Marine Directorate. If you have any questions about the proposal, you should contact the Scottish Government at the relevant email address provided above.

Public comments cannot be made for Screening and Scoping Opinions and Proposal of Application Notices. You will be given an opportunity to make comment when a planning application is submitted.

What you Can Comment on

Only comments which raise material planning considerations will be taken into account. However, other representations we receive (that are not necessarily material planning considerations) are also likely to be made public on our Public Access site.

Material planning considerations are matters the Council must take into account when deciding planning applications. In order for your comments to be taken into account, they must be made for legitimate planning reasons. We have provided some examples below. Please note, these are not exhaustive lists.

Examples of material planning considerations are:

siting, design and materials
parking provision and access
residential amenity (overshadowing, noise)
drainage and infrastructure
impact on existing trees, proposed landscaping

Examples of non-material considerations are:

private legal issues between neighbours (such as land or boundary disputes, damage to property or private rights of access)
ownership of land
loss of a view
loss in the value of your property
covered by other regulations (such as building regulations)

More information can be found on the Planning Aid Scotland website (external link).

How to Make a Comment

Register: All comments to applications should be made electronically through the Highland Council Public Access site. You need to Register your details on the site before you can submit a comment. Full guidance on how to register and comment can be found in our Guide to Using Highland Council Public Access.

Comment Period: You can make a comment, whether to object, to support or make a general comment, within 21 days of the latest date:

that the application was registered with us
when you were notified as a neighbour
where it was advertised by us

Submit a Comment:

sign into your public access account
retrieve the application reference using the 'Search' facility
navigate to the ‘Comments’ – ‘Make a Comment’ tab
complete your comment and click 'Submit'

Note: There is a 10 minute timeout on pages. If you have a lot to type, consider composing your comment in a word processor and then copying it into the text box. Comments are limited to 5000 characters and cannot include file attachments.

Exceeding Limits: If your comment exceeds the 5000 character limit or you need to add an attachment, email your comment to eplanning@highland.gov.uk or post it to ePlanning, eProcessing Centre, The Highland Council, Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, IV3 5NX.

Publication: All comments must include your name and full postal address. Anonymous comments will not be taken into account. Comments from individuals living at the same address will be linked together on the comments page, further information regarding this can be found within the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

Comments you submit will be published online along with your name and address. Signatures and other personal information will be redacted. Please allow up to 3 working days for your comments to be reviewed and processed by our processing centre. Your comment will not appear on public access until this has been done. In periods when we receive a high volume of comments this may take longer.

You must only use your own details and express your own views when submitting comments on a planning application. Do not include personal information about another third party (including family members) unless you have told the individual concerned and they consent to it being supplied. If you falsely represent yourself as someone who you aren't, you could be charged with a criminal offence.

Correspondence: Due to the volume of comments we receive on planning applications, we cannot enter into detailed correspondence or discussions with individual objectors on the points they raise. The Council's statutory duty is to take account of comments received within the statutory period, not to reply to them. Accordingly, comments should not be in the form of questions but should be clear statements about areas of concern. You may however wish to support or oppose an application on conditional terms.

Restrictions in Place: The use of inappropriate words and phrases are prohibited. Salacious, malicious and defamatory comments are unacceptable. Any comments which are considered to defamatory or to be inappropriate will be redacted. The online comment facility is for your use, to increase your input into the planning process. Please do not abuse it.

Visibility: Clicking the ‘Comments' tab on public access displays how many comments have been made in relation to the application. Comments are only available to view for 3 months from the decision date. When an application has been withdrawn, no associated documents or comments are visible.

Commenting on Applications in the Cairngorms National Park Area: Comments will be accepted until the neighbour notification period has expired on an application. All comments will then be forwarded to the Cairngorms National Park. After an application's neighbour notification period has expired, please send your comments to planning@cairngorms.co.uk

After your Comment is Submitted

it can take up to 3 working days for your comments to appear on the portal as each comment has to be reviewed and processed before publication. In periods when we receive a high volume of comments this may take longer
we will acknowledge receipt of your comment
your comment will be considered before a decision is made on the application
we will inform you of the decision on the application

Technical Support

If you have any technical difficulties when using any of the websites listed below:

ePlanning (ePlanning.scot)
eBuilding Standards (eBuildingStandards.scot)
The Highland Council Public Access Site (http://wam.highland.gov.uk/wam/)

Please use this form to tell us about it.

To help us resolve the issue quicker, please include:

screenshots of the issue (desirable) - Paste into a word document and attach to the online complaints form as they help us to resolve issues more quickly
a description of what you were trying to do on our site when the issue occurred (essential)
date and time the issue occurred (essential)