Planning pre-application customer service guide

Eligibility for pre-application advice

The Council offers two tiers of pre-application advice:

  • Generic
  • Bespoke

Generic advice is free guidance on the Council website that customers can use to assess whether their proposals are in accordance with planning policies. Bespoke advice is tailored advice prepared by planning officers based on information provided by the customer. This guide relates to bespoke advice.

Certain types of development are not eligible for bespoke advice other than in exceptional circumstances:

  • Householder developments
  • Advertising
  • Signage
  • Simple changes of use / alterations

Please refer to the Planning and Building Standards customer charter for advice. Customers in any doubt about whether they are eligible for pre-application advice are requested to email

preapplicationadvice@edinburgh.gov.uk

before submitting a request form. The Council may decline to provide pre-application advice at its discretion.

Please note that advice on non-material variations does not fall within the scope of the service.