End of relaxation to temporary structures & uses during COVID-19 pandemic

The Highland Council has been supporting business, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sectors, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing a relaxation of planning and building warrant controls.

This has included not insisting on planning applications or building warrant and completion certificates for temporary structures, operations and/or uses that would otherwise require permission. This is in line with Scottish Government guidance to planning and building standards authorities.

Although we are not yet out of the pandemic, many of the mitigations that had been in place are no longer required. In light of this, the guidance from Scottish Government has changed. 

We are therefore taking the opportunity to inform you that, in line with the revised guidance from Scottish Government, we intend to withdraw the relaxation of planning and building warrant controls on 30 September 2022.

We would encourage you to take steps to either obtain planning permission, building warrant and/or completion certificates, where these are considered appropriate, or remove any unauthorised development and/or cease any unauthorised operations and/or use by this date.

If you wish to find out whether planning permission or building warrant are required you can do so by visiting https://self.highland.gov.uk/service/Development_enquiryor, by calling 01349 886608.

To find out if your development is likely to obtain planning permission, please use our pre-application advice service.  All building standards enquiries should be addressed to building.standards@highland.gov.uk