Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Edinburgh and the Lothians at a glance

Nation: Scotland
Price region: Scotland
Postcode areas: EH
Towns covered: 24 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a planning application involves

Getting planning permission for a two-storey extension involves checking whether permitted development applies, preparing drawings and supporting information, submitting a householder application to the council and dealing with questions until a decision is made. Many two-storey extensions need permission, especially side, wraparound and front ones.

Towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians include Edinburgh (EH1), Livingston (EH53), Musselburgh (EH15), Bathgate (EH48), Bonnyrigg (EH18) and Penicuik (EH26). If yours isn't listed, we still cover it.

Fees

Planning drawings are a guide of £2,000–£3,500, priced in writing before the design stage starts. Householder planning application: £371.

Rules in Scotland

In Scotland, a householder planning application costs £371, and councils have two months to decide. Class 1B permitted development needs 10 m to every boundary, so most two-storey extensions need an application. Planning permission is separate from the building warrant, which is also needed before work starts.

Approval in Scotland: Householder planning application: £371. Councils have two months to decide a local planning application.

Building standards: A building warrant from the council's building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end. Scotland uses its own Technical Handbooks.

There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland. Shared walls and boundaries are governed by title deeds and common law, so we speak to neighbours early and record the condition of shared structures.

Getting the design right

Design to local guidance

Most councils publish guidance on extensions covering set-backs, roof heights, boundary gaps and neighbours' light. Designing to it from the start makes approval more likely and reduces the chance of being asked to make changes during the application.

Neighbours' light and privacy

The main concerns on a two-storey extension are usually loss of light, outlook and privacy for neighbours. We test the design against nearby windows and gardens, and adjust depth, roof shape or window positions before submitting.

How we work in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Start at your house
We come to your home in Edinburgh and the Lothians, measure up, check the ground floor walls and roof structure, and note anything near the boundaries.
Plans, then approval
Measured survey, design, then the right approval route for your house. We explain each step before we take it.
Fixed price in writing
With approved drawings and calculations, we give you a fixed build price and a programme you can plan around.
Finish and certify
Second fix, plastering and making good, then the council's final building standards inspection and the completion paperwork.

Towns we cover in Edinburgh and the Lothians