Pre-application advice
Local Small Scale pre-application advice
If you know that you require planning permission then the Highland Council encourages and welcomes the opportunity to provide advice before you formally submit your planning application.
Please read the guidance below before submitting your application.
There is a fee for this value-added service which is reviewed annually with any fee increase taking effect from the start of April each year.. For more details on how much you need to pay see our main Planning fees webpage. A full list of categories under Local Small Scale Developments is shown below. A stand alone tool is available from ePlanning.scot to assist you in estimating the cost of your planning application - Fee calculator
Definition for Pre-Application Advice for Local Small Scale Developments
| Proposal | Charge |
|---|---|
| Houses, Flats and Self-Contained Dwellings 1-3 units |
35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 Any development proposal in between 4 to 49 units should use the Local Medium scale pre-app service. Any development proposal in excess of 49 units, or where the site area exceeds 2 hectares should use the Major Development Pre-application Advice Service. |
| Erection of glasshouses on land used for the purpose of agriculture | 35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 |
| Single Change of Use Proposals | 35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 |
| Change of Use Proposals | 35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 |
| Agricultural or Forestry Development |
35% of Prior Notification Application Fee for prior notifications. 35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 for proposals up to 465sqm. Any development proposal exceeding 465sqm should use the Local Medium scale pre-app service. |
| Listed Buildings |
No charge for pre-application advice for changes to the interior of the building, where planning is not required (for example; cornices, internal doors). 35% of Planning Application Fee, capped at £1,750 for pre-application advice for changes to the exterior of the building where planning permission is required (for example; external doors, extensions, windows). |
| Demolition in a Conservation Area |
No Fee Where planning permission is also required, a fee will be charged as per the relevant category. |
| Hazardous Substances Consent |
No Fee Where planning permission is also required, a fee will be charged as per the relevant category. |
| Works to Trees in a TPO/Conservation Area | No Fee |
| Advertisement Consent |
No Fee Where planning permission is also required, a fee will be charged as per the relevant category. |
| Miscellaneous Exemptions | No Fee will apply to the following:
|
What do I need to submit with my request?
In order for a pre-application advice request to be considered valid and for processing to begin, it must include the following:
Mandatory
- A completed pre-application advice application form using our on-line form below;
- A clear description of the proposed development;
- A fee appropriate to the type of development proposed. Payment can be made when making your application via our on-line form below;
- A location plan at a scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500 which outlines the land in question in red, with any other land owned/controlled by the prospective applicant outlined in blue;
- Details of site access, drainage provision etc.
- Sketches and/or drawings of the development proposal (as necessary);
Desirable*
- A draft Design and Access Statement (where applicable);
- Photographs of the site; and
- Site layout plans and site sections (ideally at a scale of 1:500 or 1:200); and
- Elevational drawings (ideally at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50).
Apply for Local Small Scale Pre-Application Advice
How will my request be handled?
Requests for pre-application advice are handled in a similar fashion to statutory applications, albeit that the process is shorter and there is not requirement for neighbour notification or advertisement. Requests will be validated, given a reference number and allocated to a case officer. Once all relevant information has been gathered and assessed, we will issue our advice in writing.
When will I receive a response?
The Council intends that all valid pre-application advice requests will be dealt with as follows:
- Within one week of receiving a valid pre-application advice request, we will issue an acknowledgement letter and contact details for the officer dealing with your request; and;
- Within six weeks of the date of validation, we will issue a formal pre- application advice letter.
What if I disagree with the pre-application advice I receive?
Pre-application advice does not constitute a formal decision of the Council, so you are free to submit a planning application etc. to the Council regardless of any pre-application advice you may receive.
Developer contributions
Anyone planning to develop in Highland may need to make a financial payment towards service and infrastructure provision, known as developer contributions. Before submitting a planning application likely developer contribution costs should be calculated by the applicant using our developer contributions guidance. Developer contribution costs should be budgeted for when buying land for development and working out project costs.