Major and national developments
Major and national developments always need planning permission. The application process is similar to local developments, but there are additional steps and longer timescales.
Pre-application advice
You can ask us for pre‑application advice before beginning the formal process. This can help you understand:
- Key planning issues
- What information and assessments you may need
- Policies that apply to your site
- Whether your proposal is likely to require changes
View pre‑application advice for major and national developments.
Planning Processing Agreements
A Planning Processing Agreements (PPA) is an agreed timetable between you and the council. It explains:
- What stages are needed
- What information must be provided
- When decisions will be made
- Who is responsible for each part of the process
A PPA doesn't influence the outcome of your application, but it helps manage expectations and keeps the project on track.
We strongly recommend having a PPA in place before you submit your application.
Pre-application consultation
All major and national developments require Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) with the community before submitting your application.
This helps to mitigate negative impacts where possible, address misunderstandings and issues raised by the community. You can then take this into account to improve the quality of your application.
To carry out a PAC:
- Submit a Proposal of Application Notice (POAN) (PDF 86KB) at least 12 weeks before you apply for planning permission. It must describe your proposal and explain how you will consult the community.
- Follow consultation standards set out in our SP=EED (Successful Planning = Effective Engagement and Delivery) guidelines (PDF 587KB).
- Receive our response within 21 days to confirm whether your proposed consultation is acceptable or if changes are needed.
- Prepare and submit a PAC report with your planning application. It must summarise: what consultation you carried out, what comments were received and how you responded to them.
Application fees
The fee for a planning application is set nationally by the Scottish Government. You can view our application fees or use fee calculator on the ePlanning portal.
You need to pay the appropriate fee when submitting the application otherwise we can't process it.
You can pay in different ways:
- online at the time of your submission via the national ePlanning portal
- online using our payment form
- by telephone with a debit or credit card
- or contact us if you require an alternative method of payment
Prepare and submit your application
You must prepare your application with all required plans, reports and assessments. These may include:
- Environmental assessments
- Transport assessments
- Drainage information
- Design and access statements
- Landscape and visual impact assessments
- Technical reports required by national or local policy
The exact requirements depend on the development type, location and scale. If you are preparing a national development, you should also contact our Energy Team at this stage for additional guidance.
How to apply
You can apply for most types of planning applications online using the national ePlanning portal. If you are not sure which form you need please use the forms wizard to identify the required form.
Alternatively, you can download the relevant application form from the ePlanning portal and email the completed application to our correspondence address.
View the planning applications privacy notice (PDF 85.1KB).
Please note that some forms on the ePlanning portal can only be submitted by email. These are:
- Pre-application screening notice
- Proposal of application notice
- Modification or discharge of planning obligations
- Marine fish farm application form
What happens next
Find out what happens after planning permission.