Toggle menu

Apply for planning permission

Apply online for planning permission.

Before you start

Prior to submitting any application, please familiarise yourself with:

  • What plans, drawings and supporting information you need to submit with your application
  • What fee you may need to pay to accompany your application
  • How your application will be considered and processed

The Heads of Planning Scotland guidance note on the national standards for the validation of planning and other related consents in Scotland (PDF) [21MB] is a best practice guide and is a useful resource for understanding the information that should accompany applications. We strongly encourage all applicants to view the document prior to making any submissions.

Information on fees can be found on the Fees and How to Pay section below.

Making your application

We encourage all customers to engage with our Service via online services and methods as this is the most efficient method to submit applications and to communicate with us. You can complete and submit and pay your applications online via the ePlanning Scotland website.

Visit the ePlanning.scot website to make an application

If you require assistance when submitting your application online there is a user guide available on the ePlanning website.  This will provide step by step guidance on using the ePlanning system. 

The following applications can't be made through the ePlanning website, but can be made directly to us:

Non-Material Variations

Pre-Application Enquiries

The Planning Service accept pre-application enquires in the following circumstances:

  • Proposals for sites allocated as development opportunities in the South Ayrshire Local Development Plan 2.
  • Proposals for 'Major' developments as defined by the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Development) (Scotland) Regulations 2009.
  • Proposals for electricity generating stations, overhead powerlines, pipelines, and associated infrastructure including pre-application enquiries from the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit.
  • Proposals by services of the Council. E.g. for local authority housing or land sales.
  • Any enquiries received that the planning service considers would be appropriate to deal with under the formal pre-application process, including proposals raising new or significant issues meriting early consideration through this process.

If your proposal does not appear to fall under any of the categories above, we will not accept your pre-application enquiry. Instead, we would encourage you to refer to the Council's Local development plan 2 - South Ayrshire Council (south-ayrshire.gov.uk) which sets out the framework of planning policy which local development proposals are assessed against. Should you decide to pursue an application for planning permission then you can do so via the website Apply for planning permission - South Ayrshire Council (south-ayrshire.gov.uk).

Proposal of Application Notice

If you wish to submit a Non-Material Variation, Pre-Application Enquiry or Proposal of Application Notice, please complete and return your form, together with all necessary information to the Planning Service, preferably by email to: Planning.Development@south-ayrshire.gov.uk or to the postal address noted below.

Timescales and Processing

Your application will normally be acknowledged within 5 working days and will be handled and processed in accordance with our Service Standards and published guidance..

All planning applications are decided in accord with the policies contained in the Local development plan 2, unless there are material planning considerations that indicate otherwise.

There's also guidance contained in the Supplementary Planning Guidance.. For example, if you're proposing a house extension, then the Householder Design Guide is relevant.  If you're proposing a development and want to see what policies apply and how your application will be assessed, then please read the relevant parts of these documents.

Fees and How to Pay

Most applications must be accompanied by a submission fee, and we encourage applicants to make payment at the time of submission through the ePlanning website.

Some fees are set by statutory legislation and others are set locally by the Council. You can calculate application fees using the ePlanning Fee Calculator  or our Guidance Note on Planning Fees (PDF) [401KB] . The Planning Service will confirm the correct fees when validating your submission.

If you need to make a payment after you have applied, or if you need to make an additional payment, please note the following payment methods are accepted:

  • Online payment via our website  (using a debit or credit card)
  • Telephone payment (using a debit or credit card) by calling 01292 616 107

You will need your application reference number to make payment.

Contact

If you need to contact the Planning Service, you can do so on the following details:

By email to: Planning.Development@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

By telephone to: 01292 616 107

By post to: Planning Service, County Buildings, Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1DR

Planning application process

Find out what happens after you submit your planning application.

Guidance on drawing and plans

Get guidance on drawings and plans you need to submit with your application to help reduce delays.