Planning Applications and Enforcement development management, contact details , housing applications, planning

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Planning Applications and Enforcement

Development Management is a function of the council that deals with making decisions on planning applications.

Applications may be submitted by anyone. Applications are considered in the context of planning legislation, guidance, the Edinburgh and Lothians Structure Plan, the West Lothian Local Plan and Strategic Development Plan, Local Development Plan as well as council policies.

The council has also approved supplementary planning guidance that may apply to your application, including developer contributions for such issues as affordable housing, schools, cemeteries and public art. Click here for further information.

Applications may be made for a number of purposes, including:

· Full planning permission

· Planning permission in principle

· Listed building consent – for works to alter, extend or demolish a listed building, including internal works

· Conservation area consent – to demolish the whole of an unlisted building within a Conservation Area

· Advertisement consent – for certain types of advertisement and signage

· Certificate of Lawfulness for proposed or existing use

· Tree works – for proposed tree works to trees within a conservation area or subject to a tree preservation order

· Mineral extraction or waste disposal

· Hazardous substances consent

Significant changes have recently been made to the legislation governing planning in Scotland. Click here to go the Scottish Government website to find out more about the new regulations.

Forms and guidance

West Lothian Council has separate forms for householders and non-householders. Click here to access the forms and guidance.

For information about listed buildings and conservation areas, click here.

To submit an application, you can print the forms out and post them to us. You can also submit your application online through the Scottish Government’s e-planning website.

How your application will be decided

Legislation sets out the way in which your planning application will be determined, and the target periods that we have to determine applications. We now have two months to decide ‘local’ applications (this includes applications from householders) and four months to determine ‘major’ applications.

The council has a Scheme of Delegation, which sets out how applications will be determined in West Lothian. The guidance notes on Deciding Local Planning Applications and Deciding Major Planning Applications provide information on how the council will determine your application.

Under current regulations, your rights to challenge the council’s decision have changed. Whether you can seek a review or make an appeal depends on the classification of your application and the method in which it was determined:

· ‘Local’ applications:

· If you have been refused permission for a ‘local’ application, you can seek a review from the Local Review Body.

· ‘Local’ applications determined by the Development Management Committee

· If your application was a ‘local’ application, but was determined by the Development Management Committee, you have the right of appeal to Scottish Ministers.

· ‘Major application

· If your application was a ‘major’ application, you have the right of appeal to Scottish Ministers.

Planning Appeals and Reviews

For further information on the appeals and reviews processes, click here.

Council committees which consider planning applications or reviews

Click on the name of the committee to find more information about the committee:

If you would like to comment on a planning application, or address the Development Management Committee, please read the following guidance notes:

Updated 05/11/11