Prior Approval in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh projects that qualify for prior approval get a genuinely faster answer than a standard planning application, since councils work to a strict statutory deadline once a valid submission’s in. The catch is the council can only consider specific matters, not the full range a normal application allows.
Get StartedWhat Prior Approval Actually Covers In Edinburgh
Picking the wrong path for a Edinburgh project, treating something as needing full planning permission when prior approval genuinely fits, or vice versa, wastes real time and real money. Nailing the classification early matters more than most people expect.
Each prior approval category in Edinburgh carries its own conditions and its own statutory deadline, generally 42 or 56 days depending on which one applies, with the council’s review confined to specific matters set out in legislation rather than a broad planning assessment.
We confirm which category your Edinburgh project genuinely falls under before preparing anything, since submitting the wrong type of application wastes both time and the fee involved.
Right Route Confirmed
We check prior approval genuinely applies
Statutory Timescale
42 or 56 days, by law
Focused Submission
Built around what’s actually assessed
Fast Turnaround
Applications moved along quickly
How We Help in Edinburgh
Edinburgh projects get checked properly against the specific legal conditions for whichever category applies, larger extension, Class MA, Class Q, demolition, or industrial extension.
Once eligibility’s confirmed, the submission gets built around exactly what Edinburgh’s planning team can genuinely consider under this route, keeping things moving toward that statutory deadline.
Edinburgh’s planning team works to a strict timescale on prior approval, so we stay engaged throughout to make sure nothing slips through unanswered.
The Careful Approach To Edinburgh Prior Approval
Picking a full application when Edinburgh prior approval would’ve worked, or the other way round, is a genuinely costly slip we help people sidestep from the outset.
Prior approval’s speed only helps if the submission’s actually right the first time, so we focus on getting the Edinburgh classification and conditions correct upfront.
Prior approval genuinely doesn’t fit every Edinburgh project, and we’d rather steer you toward the right route from the start than force a poor fit.
Not sure whether your project needs house extension planning permission instead? We check that too, before recommending prior approval as the route.
Get Your Prior Approval Submission Started
Prior Approval FAQs for Edinburgh
Which categories does prior approval cover in Edinburgh?
The main categories in Edinburgh are larger rear extensions, Class MA commercial to residential conversion, Class Q agricultural conversion, demolition, and larger industrial or warehouse extensions, each with its own specific conditions.
How long does a prior approval decision take in Edinburgh?
Typically 42 days for larger extensions, or 56 days for several of the other categories, a legal deadline that applies once Edinburgh’s council has a valid submission in hand.
Can Edinburgh’s council refuse prior approval for any reason they like?
The scope is genuinely limited, Edinburgh’s council assesses only the specific defined matters for that prior approval category, unlike a full application’s broader planning assessment.
Can I still get planning permission if prior approval isn’t right for my project?
Yes, if your Edinburgh project doesn’t meet prior approval conditions, we simply prepare it as a standard planning application instead, the route changes but the project can usually still proceed.
Does Class MA prior approval also count as change of use in Edinburgh?
Class MA is specifically about change of use for Edinburgh properties, converting shops, offices, and similar commercial space to residential, a category we also cover in more depth on our change of use planning permission.
Do I pay anything before you confirm my Edinburgh route?
Yes, confirming whether your Edinburgh project genuinely qualifies costs nothing, that comes before any discussion of fees for preparing the actual submission.