Permitted Development Rights

Good news in regard to Permitted Development Rights

Agriculture is a vital part of our rural communities, the economy and environment. In Scotland, farmers are supported in a number of ways to encourage their development and diversification. One such measure is Permitted Development Rights (PDR)

The PDR allows farmers to build or extend without the need for planning permission, an often lengthy and costly process. Instead, a ‘Prior Notification’ is submitted to the local planning authority before exercising Permitted Development Rights. The procedure determines if prior approval is required, if so, more information is requested to determine if approval should be given. This is a swift and less arduous route to being able to begin work. It cuts out the risk of rejection and delay and allows farmers to build quickly which in turn supports them to continue farming unhindered.

The good news for farmers is that the Scottish Government has now increased the maximum size allowed under this scheme from 465sqm to 1000sqm. This has been welcomed across the farming community as an acknowledgement of how the industry has evolved. The size and complexity of associated machinery has increased greatly in line with this adding to the necessity for larger buildings.

The new rules also allow agricultural and forestry buildings to be converted for residential and commercial use under the PDR. This applies to buildings constructed prior to 4th November 2019 and will provide a significant step towards supporting farm diversification.

There are a few exclusions which still apply and include: listed buildings or buildings situated within the curtilage of listed buildings, sites of archaeological interest, safety hazard areas or military explosive storage areas.