SMS Planning

Planning Team

Our Planning Team responds to planning applications in SMS area, and any issues or developments relating to the road and path networks in Edinburgh.

We monitor for any new planning applications, alert the local community, and encourage locals to submit their own views and comments as we believe the more local voices are heard, the better. This way, we can push back against student developments, STLs (short-term lets) with no planning permission, and instead preserve green spaces and push for more affordable homes.

Planning Aid Scotland (PAS) also offers a free, impartial and confidential planning advice service, provided by specialist volunteers, all of whom are chartered planners

View & Comment on Planning Applications

Saughton House believes in amplifying the voices of local people for the benefit of local communities. We are passionate about getting more people interested and involved in local decision making as part of the local democratic process.

The public can view and comment on planning applications via the Council's planning portal and can get involved in major development proposals before a planning application is submitted.

You can also directly contact your local MP, MSPs, Councillors, local community council and local organisations, to let them know of your views on any local planning issues.

The Council's guide to commenting on planning applications outlines how to ensure you make a valid comment, in other words, invalid comments are not accepted.

What You Can Comment On

Comments which are relevant to planning issues, such as

traffic and parking
appearance of the area
impact on a conservation area
setting or character of a listed building
loss of significant landscape features
noise and disturbance
effect of cooking odours
loss of sunlight or daylight
overshadowing
privacy.

These are known as material considerations, or in laymen's terms, valid comments.

The Council cannot consider comments on non relevant planning issues, such as

loss of private view
effect of the development on property values
building regulation matters
racist remarks.

The Council cannot treat your comments as confidential. The Council's privacy notice sets out what happens to your details when you submit comments. You should note that your

name
address
stance

will be published on the public comments tab of the planning portal once a decision is made on the application.

The Council also have guidance on how to search, view and comment on applications.

Please note that all planning drawings are subject to copyright laws, particularly copyright of the originator of the drawings, and can only be used for personal, non-commercial use. Any

reproduction
modification
commercial exploitation

of the content is unlawful and may be subject to legal proceedings by the copyright owner.

Consultation Hub

The City of Edinburgh Council has a Consultation Hub that can help you to find and participate in consultations that interest you. Recent consultations are displayed below, but you can also search for consultations by keyword, postcode, interest etc.

Please do get involved and have your say. You will be helping to strengthen democracy and make Edinburgh a better place for all.

You can also keep up to date with new consultations by subscribing to the Council's mailing list.

This information can be found on the City of Edinburgh Council website.

SMS Planning

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