Major and National Planning Developments

Definition of a major development

Major developments are defined in the Town and Country (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and as explained in Circular 5 2009: Hierarchy of Developments

Schedule 1 development

Any type of development which is mentioned in Schedule 1 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 2011.

Housing

  • 50 or more homes (our Scheme of Delegation 30 or more)
  • The total area of the site is, or exceeds 2 hectares

Business and general industry, storage and distribution

  • The floor area of the site is, or exceeds 10,000 square metres or
  • The total area of the site is, or exceeds 2 hectares

Electricity generation

  • The capacity of the generating station is 20 megawatts or more

The following developments are part of a different instruction under the Electricity Act 1989 and are governed by those procedures:

  • An onshore wind farm or power station that is not driven by water and has a generating capacity in excess of 50 megawatts

Waste management facilities

  • The capacity of facility is 25,000 tonnes or more per annum
  • For facilities used for sludge treatment, a capacity to treat more than 50 tonnes (wet weight) per day

Transport and infrastructure projects

  • The length of the road, railway, tramway, waterway, aqueduct or pipeline exceeds 8 km

Fish farming

  • The surface area of water covered is, or exceeds, 2 hectares

Minerals development

  • Extraction of minerals - the total area of the site is, or exceeds, 2 hectares

Other development

Any development not within any single class of the development in 1 to 8 above.

  • The gross floor space of any building, structure or erection constructed as a result of such development is 5,000 square metres or more
  • The total area of the site is, or exceeds 2 hectares

Page last modified: 29 January 2026

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