Giving clients the inside track on planning
Bell Ingram’s Planning team has provided professional planning and design advice for hill tracks throughout Scotland over the past 10 years for a variety of clients.
Brief
Statutory consents are required for the formation, alteration or maintenance of all hill, farm and forestry tracks in Scotland. Planning permission and/or Prior Notification to the planning authority need to be secured before any work construction can start on site.
We have provided professional planning and design advice for tracks throughout Scotland over the past 10 years for a variety of clients including farmers, SSE, SPEN, Scottish Water, festival organisers and sporting tenants. All of these have been in different locations and for a variety of uses.
Process
We have the experience and a good understanding of the relevant legislation, policies and the guidelines published by planning authorities, Naturescot, SEPA and the Forestry and Land Scotland to inform the appropriate siting, design and construction of tracks.
We can also establish any natural environment designations, landscape or National Park designations and any implication these may have for the development proposed. We can then identify from the start if environmental consultants need to be appointed to mitigate any potential adverse impacts on peat, water environment or landscape and visual amenity.
Outcome
Bell Ingram Design always ensures that applications are supported by sufficient information to be validated and determined without unnecessary delay and additional costs to the client. Our experience is that by been involved from the start of the process, we can provide a professional input which in the client’s best interests.
With this approach we recently secured planning permission for a new hill track for an energy company to be retained for future use by the farmer, which was determined well within the statutory period of eight weeks and within the budget agreed at the outset.
Article posted on 01/09/2022
