Planning and building regulations in Ayrshire

What is a planning or building regulations application?

Planning permission decides whether a project can be built; building regulations decide how it must be built. Most extensions, lofts and conversions need building regulations approval even when planning permission is not required.

How much does a planning or building regulations application cost in Ayrshire?

In Ayrshire, a planning or building regulations application typically costs £750–£2,500 for application management (council fees extra), including VAT at 20% (standard rate; planning application fees carry no VAT, council building control fees include VAT). Prices in Scotland sit near the national average for this kind of work, and the range for Ayrshire reflects that. Council application fees are extra.

What moves the price most:

• Planning conditions
• Council fees
• Type of application
• Building control route

Your exact price depends on the survey and drawings. The guide price tool gives a quick range in the meantime.

Planning and building regulations in Ayrshire

Here is how the rules work for a planning or building regulations application in Scotland. In Scotland planning applications and building warrants are both made to the council, and the warrant must be granted before work starts.

Scotland has no Party Wall Act. Work on shared walls is governed by your title deeds, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 for flats, and common law, so we agree arrangements with neighbours in writing before work starts.

Our first visit includes a check of your planning history, so you know the route before paying for drawings.

What we handle

From survey to sign-off, the job normally involves:

• Certificate of lawfulness applications
• Written agreement with neighbours on shared walls
• Build-over agreements with the water company
• Building control application and inspections
• Planning or householder applications
• Discharge of planning conditions

How long does it take?

Allow about 8 weeks for a householder planning decision (two months in Scotland). If the drawings are for a planning application, add the council’s decision period once they are submitted.

Building in Ayrshire

In Scotland, bungalows and one-and-a-half-storey homes are common, so dormer conversions are a popular way to add bedrooms.

Towns we cover in Ayrshire include Kilmarnock, Ayr, Irvine, Kilwinning, Troon and Prestwick.

How it works

1. 01

   Survey and brief

   We visit, talk through what you want and record the existing building.

2. 02

   Concept design

   Options for layout and appearance, revised until you are happy.

3. 03

   Drawings and documents

   The drawings and forms the council and building control need.

4. 04

   Approval

   We follow the application through to a decision and pass on the approved drawings.

Questions about planning and building regulations applications in Ayrshire