Categories of development
Planning applications in Scotland fall into three categories. Each category has different procedures. Check which category your proposal is in before you apply.
- National development - projects of national importance. These are listed in National Planning Framework 4
- Major development - defined in the Town and Country (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009
- Local development - all other developments that are not national or major.
For National and Major developments, the main differences involve the pre-application, assessment, and decision-making stages. Key points include:
- Applications are determined by the Planning Committee, rather than a planning officer
- We have 4 months to reach a decision (unless an alternative timescale is agreed through a processing agreement)
- A Pre-Determination Hearing (PDH) may also be required as part of the application process
- Applications for electricity generating stations over 50 MW (Section 36) and overhead lines over 132kV (Section 37) made under the Electricity Act 1989 are determined by Scottish Ministers. In these cases, we are not the consenting body for these development types and participate as a consultee in the process
The typical process for National and Major development is as follows:
- Proposal of Application Notice
- Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) notice served and undertaken by the prospective applicant
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening and Scoping
- Application submitted
- Application advertised and consulted upon
- EIA Further Environmental Information (FEI) submitted (if required)
- Officer appraisal and report on handling complete
- Decision made by North or South Planning Applications Committee