A brief Summary to Permitted development building regulations in Scotland, to help you answer questions such as, ‘do i need planning permission to build a shed in Scotland ? or ‘Can i fit solar panels on my roof without planning permission in Scotland ?
| Development Type | Permitted Development Rules |
|---|---|
| Garden Rooms and Outbuildings | Garden rooms and outbuildings are allowed, but must not take up more than 50% of the area of the curtilage (the area surrounding the house) and must be at least 1m away from any boundary. Buildings over 3m high require planning permission. |
| Solar Panels | Solar panels can be installed on roofs or walls without planning permission, as long as they don’t protrude more than 200mm from the roof or wall and don’t exceed the highest part of the roof. Panels on flat roofs can’t exceed 1m in height. |
| Wind Turbines | Domestic wind turbines may be allowed without planning permission, as long as they meet certain criteria. The turbine must be less than 15m tall and must be at least 160m away from any residential property. They must also be at least 60m away from the nearest public road. |
| Fences, Walls and Gates | Fences, walls and gates are allowed, as long as they are not more than 2m high (or 1m high if next to a public road or footpath). The maximum height for any gate is 1.8m. |
| Porches | Porches may be built without planning permission, as long as they are less than 3m2 in floor area and no more than 3m high. |
| Sheds and Greenhouses | Sheds and greenhouses may be built without planning permission, as long as they don’t take up more than 50% of the area of the curtilage and are at least 1m away from any boundary. The maximum height for any shed or greenhouse is 4m. |
| Extensions | Certain types of extensions, such as conservatories and single-storey rear extensions, may be allowed without planning permission, as long as they meet certain criteria. The extension must not exceed 4m in height and must not extend more than 4m from the original rear wall of the house (or 3m for a semi-detached or terraced house). |
| Change of Use | Changing the use of a building from one type of use to another may require planning permission, depending on the nature of the change. For example, changing a residential property into a business premises would typically require planning permission. |