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Do you need planning permission?
Home > Services > Environment and Planning > Planning > Applications for Planning Permission
This page gives information about planning permission and when you need to apply for it.
What is Planning permission?You need planning permission for 'development'. This term is defined in law and covers a wide range of building and engineering work as well as changes in the way land and buildings are used. Planning law also covers changes to listed buildings, control of advertisements and works to trees which are covered by tree preservation orders. Planning permission is granted or refused by the council. In Renfrewshire, planning applications are processed by the planning and transport Development Management section.
The rules controlling the need for planning permission are complex. Some minor proposals are classed as 'permitted development' and don't need the council's permission.
Check before you start work
Before you start any development, you should check with the Development Management service or your architect/agent to confirm whether you need planning permission or a building warrant under the building standards legislation. We strongly recommend that you contact the Development Management service for guidance. See the contact details on the Application for Planning Permission - Development Management page. There is also information on various other consents you may need before you start to build.
Notifying your neighbours
If you do need planning permission, you must tell your neighbours what you propose to do before you submit your planning application. Your neighbours have the right to comment on the application and the council cannot make a decision on the application within 14 days of receipt of the application. Certain types of application also have to be advertised in local newspapers.
Making a decision
The Council must make its decisions on planning applications in line with the Structure Plan and Local Plan unless material considerations suggest otherwise. A 'material consideration' is a planning matter which is relevant to the application. Material considerations can be raised by the public, and other people or organisations the Council has consulted. They can include national policy, the design of the proposed development, access and the effect on the environment. The Council has to decide on how important these material considerations are. The need to consider all the evidence means that there is no guarantee that the Structure Plan and Local Plan policies will be followed in every case. However, the Council will usually decide on applications for development in line with the Structure and Local Plan. The Council aims to make decisions on planning applications within two months. Decisions on complicated and controversial schemes are likely to take longer.
Where a development requires planning permission the Council can:
- grant planning permission without conditions
- grant permission with conditions, or
- refuse permission.
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Permitted Development
Certain types of development can be carried out without planning permission. This is known as permitted development, and covers a wide range of minor developments by householders, farmers and foresters, and developments by statutory undertakers. Statutory undertakers include a variety of bodies providing utilities such as gas and electricity providers, Scottish Water and telecommunications operators.
Planning permission is granted for a range of types of development by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 also referred to as the GDPO. This link to the Office of Public Sector Information website does not include the GPDO amendment orders made since 1992. Scottish Office Circular 5/1992 provides further information on this.
Permitted development rights for houses
If you are doing work on a detached, semi-detached or terraced house, you can make certain types of minor changes to your home without needing planning permission. The right to make these changes without planning permission is referred to as 'permitted development rights'. Permitted development rights can be revoked by the Council, and further details on this are given below. Where this has occurred you should contact the Planning and Transport department for specific advice regarding your proposals.
Permitted development rights for flatted properties
There are virtually no permitted development rights for flatted properties, including 4-in-a-block properties, tenements or subdivided properties. If you live in this type of property you will need planning permission for any extension or external alteration, including the installation of replacement windows, the formation of a driveway, re-roofing and any development within the garden area.
Removal of permitted development rights.
Councils have the power to remove permitted development rights. The rights can be removed:
- through a Direction under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992
- under the Control of Advertisement Regulations, or
- by attaching a planning condition on the approval of planning permission.
Renfrewshire has eight conservation areas. All of these with the exception of the Greenlaw conservation area are covered with Directions under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 which remove certain permitted development rights. These are mainly concerned with setting restrictions on property owners' rights to change the external appearance of buildings, particularly any changes to windows, roof materials and painting external walls. Contact the Development Management Section to find out what works are and are not allowed before you do any work on a property in a conservation area. Further information on conservation areas including boundary maps is available under the 'Listed Buildings and Conservation Area' link on the right hand side of this page.
Control of Advertisement Regulations
Garthland Place and 3 - 19 Glasgow Road, Paisley, have been designated an 'Area of Special Advertisement Control'. This sets specific restrictions on the form of advertisements which can be displayed in the area.
Planning conditions which have removed permitted development rights
From time to time the Council decides that certain permitted development rights should be removed when planning permission is approved in order to protect the character of the property and its environment. For example, this may occur in new high density housing developments where proposals for new extensions need to be carefully assessed. In these situations, the permitted development rights are removed through a condition attached to the planning permission. Where this happens, you have to make a planning application for work which normally does not need one.
View map showing where permitted development rights have been removed
You can view an interactive map showing the locations where permitted development rights have been removed as a result of conservation areas, the Area of Special Advert Control and conditions attached to planning consents.
Contacts
Contact the Development Management section of the Planning and Transport Department for advice if you intend to carry out any works in areas where permitted development rights have been removed. Contact details are provided on the Application for Planning Permission - Development Management page
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