The main permissions or consents that are required for a build project are Outline Planning Consent, Detailed Planning Consent, and Building Regulation Approval, often referred to in Scotland as Building Warrant. There are also other permissions that apply in specific cases such as Listed Building Consent, Conservation Area Consent, and Decrofting Direction, but below we deal with the main ones likely to be encountered.
Outline Planning Consent
When a plot has Outline Planning Consent it means that the local authority has approved the idea of a house in principle, but has not yet approved the detailed design. Outline Consent is normally granted for 3 years, after which time one can apply to have it renewed.
When Outline Consent is granted there are normally conditions attached (usually referred to as Reserved Matters) that have to be adhered to in the subsequent detailed design. These often relate to levels of parking, height of building, materials, landscaping etc. Sometimes however, when say for example the site is in a particularly sensitive area, the local authority may ask for some design details to be agreed even at the outline stage.
To avoid surprised and unplanned expenditure we always recommend to clients that we make formal pre-planning enquiries prior to submitting an application. Such an enquiry will almost always result in the local authority telling us what further information or studies will be required to support the application.
Detailed Planning Consent
As the name suggests this looks in much more detail at the proposed development, and requires the submission of full design drawings showing all aspects of the building form and finishes. Materials must be specified and precise dimensions displayed for both interior and exterior. This consent also seeks full information on parking, pedestrian and vehicular movements, external surfaces, and requires evidence that surface water drainage and foul drainage can be satisfactorily dealt with within the site.
Building Warrant
This consent deals with the technical aspects of your project, including electrics, heating, drainage arrangements in detail, sewerage arrangements in detail, plumbing, insulation, ventilation, air quality, accoustics, and structure. Where Planning Consent deals with the concept, Building Warrant deals with quality control.
