Apply for planning permission

Decision and appealing

The decision letter will let you know whether your submission was approved or refused. If you are unhappy with the decision you have a right to appeal or seek a review. Your decision letter will tell you how to do this. You can also appeal or ask for a review for other reasons including

  • no decision made on an application within the specified period
  • conditions attached to your permission
  • enforcement action taken against your development - appeal only. 

Read our planning decision guidance

Request a review

Applications that are determined under the statutory scheme of delegation for local developments are subject to review rather than appeal. The Local Review Body (LRB) deals with these reviews and is made up of five Councillors from the planning committee. Background papers for a review can be found online under the reference number of the original application. The decision will normally be posted within seven days of the LRB meeting.

Appeal to Scottish Ministers

Appeals to Scottish Ministers are only available for those applications determined by committee or delegated under the 1973 Scheme of Delegation. These may include

  • major applications
  • listed building consent
  • advert consent
  • conservation area consent
  • certificates of lawfulness.

Enforcement appeals would also be determined by the Scottish Ministers.

NOTE: For appeal submissions to Scottish Ministers, they do not accept links to documents that are held on other websites.

Details of how to make an appeal and guidance material are provided on the Scottish Government's website.

Planning help desk

The planning helpdesk is operating as an email service. You can contact us at