The High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013 came into force on 1 April 2014. Guidance produced by the Scottish Government along with this guide should answer questions you may have about applying for a High Hedge Notice and how the legislation operates.
The Council positively encourages the use of Processing Agreements to assist in the determination of more significant and complex applications.
A Processing Agreement is a project management tool designed to achieve more transparent, predictable and faster decision making along with greater engagement of stakeholders and clearer lines of communication. It should be simple in content and should not take significant time to prepare.
Those who are in receipt of decision notices granting planning permission will receive forms for completion, and return to the Council, providing details of when works will start on the development approved and when the project has been completed. This is a requirement of the new planning legislation. Further details are provided below.
National, Major and Local Developments (The Planning Hierarchy)
From 3 August 2009 the way Councils throughout Scotland are dealing with planning and related applications changed. There is a Hierarchy of Planning Applications which are classified into three types: National, Major and Local and each of these is processed in a different way.
Since August 2009 those in receipt of planning permission for certain kinds of development will be required to complete and display a Site Notice in a prominent place at or near the site of the development permitted and where it is readily visible to the public. This is a legal requirement.
The categories of permission concerned are for national and major categories of development and for "bad neighbour" developments (e.g. licensed premises, restaurants, hot food shops, development over 20 metres in height and other categories of use specified in the Regulations).
