Our Essential Guide To Planning Permission In Scotland

When you are looking to extend your Scottish home with a conservatory or orangery or add a porch to your house there is a possibility that planning permission will need to be obtained first.

Never be tempted to proceed with these types of installation without checking whether planning permission is required as it could prove to be a very costly mistake.

Should an installation be found to contravene planning laws, your Local Authority at the very least can order you to make sufficient changes to bring the installation in line with the necessary guidelines and submit a retrospective planning application. Some may not be quite so lucky and told to demolish the structure and return the relevant area back to how it used to be.

Permitted Developments

When the relevant installation enjoys Permitted Development Rights, no planning application needs to be made. This is so long that it also complies with building regulations and an Article 4 direction removing permitted development rights has not been applied.

A single-storey extension (conservatory, orangery) has Permitted Development Rights as long as:

• it’s located at the back of the house
• it doesn’t go back further than 3 metres if it’s a terraced house, or 4 metres if it isn’t
• the height of the eaves (where the wall meets the roof) is no higher than 3 metres
• it’s not higher than 4 metres, including sloping roofs
• it doesn’t cover more floor area than your house does
• it doesn’t take up half the ‘curtilage’ – the grounds behind your home
• it isn’t within a conservation area

A porch has Permitted Development Rights as long as:

• its footprint (the total floor area it takes up) is no greater than 3 square metres
• there’s at least 2 metres between the edge of the porch and any boundary facing a road
• it isn’t taller than 3 metres
• it isn’t within a conservation area

We would though always recommend that you check with your Local Authority’s planning department that you’re safe to commence with the installation in case any further approval is needed.

If it emerges that a planning application must be made, it currently costs £202 to submit one. Once received, the Local Authority will publicise and notify your neighbours of your plans, taking around two months to inform you whether planning permission is granted or not. You do have the right to appeal if you feel that a planning application has been unfairly turned down.

Mitchell Glass can take care of all of this and more!

All planning obligations can be left in the very capable hands of Mitchell Glass as we frequently organise planning permission on behalf of our customers. This is just one part of our ongoing commitment to Customer Care. You can also find a document about Planning on our Helpful Guides page.