Tag: Development Concordat

Changes to Planning Fees – 1 April 2026

Aerial view of New Town and Princes Street gardens on a sunny day. Edinburgh Castle sits to the top left.

Today Planning fees increased nationally. To reflect these changes, we have updated our Fees Charter. All planning applications received from today onwards will be charged the new fees.

Since 2025, fees have also been charged for local reviews and appeals against planning decisions. 

Most planning fees are set by the Scottish Government. The relevant legislation is;

  • the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 as amended (‘the Application Fees Regulations’)
  • the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 as amended (‘the Appeal Fees Regulations’)
  • the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Local Reviews) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 as amended (‘the Local Review Fees Regulations’).All of which came into effect on 1 April 2026

Further guidance is available in Scottish Government Planning Circular 1/2026

Also on 1 April, some other fees related to Planning & Building Standards are changing, including;

Please refer to planning validation guidelines for information about what to include as part of your submission.

New Code of Conduct for Responsible Construction

View from Calton Hil over central Edinburgh, with multiple cranes towering above the city.

The impact of construction is a key issue for local communities, leading to negative impacts on quality of life, complaints to the Council and potential disruption to worksites.

In response, the Council has drawn up a new Code of Conduct for constructors.

Whilst the Code of Conduct is not mandatory and will not be enforced, it does set out expectations and best practice for constructors as well as highlighting legal responsibilities governed by legislation and regulation. It is also intended to assist the construction industry in carrying out works safely, efficiently, responsibly and on time.

As a general rule noisy work from construction sites should usually only disturb you Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm. There are some exemptions to this and other restrictions which may apply.

Good relations with neighbours and a clear communication strategy will greatly assist in reducing the impact of construction.

Disruption may be unavoidable, but the impact will be reduced if neighbouring occupiers are consulted and kept informed throughout the works. This may be through a residents’ association, community council, ward councillors or, preferably, directly with neighbours.

Please read our Code of Conduct for constructors for more information.