All requests must be made using our Non-Material Variation form to detail minor changes after a planning decision has been made.

Fees

Non-material variations to previously approved schemes

Once planning permission has been granted there can be instances where the proposed approved scheme may require to be amended by the applicant for a variety of practical or design reasons. Section 64 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 allows a Planning Authority to vary any planning permissions granted by them, if it appears to them that the variation sought is not material. Therefore, if the changes you proposes do not significantly change the development proposal that was originally granted planning permission, you may be able to submit a non-material variation rather than submitting an amended planning application. 

Alterations that qualify as a non-material variation are by definition minor changes. All requests for a non-material variation to a planning permission require to be assessed in the context of the development as approved. Each case is different and the judgement as to when a variation is material is a matter of fact and degree e.g. a proposed variation in a small but visually prominent development may be material while that same change may not be material in a larger scale development.

A non-material variation cannot introduce changes to a proposal which would require planning permission in its own right. Consideration will also be given to the cumulative nature of a series of non-material variations.

If we do not agree to a non-material variation, then an application for planning permission would be required and assessed as normal.

A non-material variation can only relate to a planning permission that has been granted. It is not possible to apply for a non-material variation for any other type of application such as listed building consent, conservation Area consent, advertisement consent and prior notifications / approvals.

You cannot use this process to apply to vary or remove conditions attached to an existing planning permission as the only way to do this is by making an application for Planning permission under Section 42 using the ePlanning.scot Portal.