Farm Diversification and Planning Permission in Scotland: guidance

A Guide to Farm Diversification and Planning Permission in Scotland

Golf course, East Lothian

Golf facilities

Some farmers have used low quality agricultural land to develop golf course or golf driving ranges. These golf facilities will require planning permission.

Visitor attraction, West Lothian

Food processing

The need for planning permission usually depends on the scale of the operation. Small processing operations, ancillary to the farm use, will not need planning permission. However, food processing operations that require raw produce to be brought onto the farm for processing, packaging and onward distribution to retailers, or which generate large volumes of traffic, particularly on to a busy road, will require planning permission.

Pick your own

The need for planning permission depends on the scale of the operation and the volume and type of traffic generated.

Caravan and camping

If you propose to locate caravans on your farm you should contact your council. Certain permitted development rights are given particularly if you have a site certified by an organisation such as the Caravan Club. In most other cases planning permission will be needed for caravans.

Farm shops

If a farm shop is ancillary to the farm and is in an existing building, planning permission is not normally required. However, if a significant percentage of the goods sold are brought in for sale from outside the farm then planning permission will be required. The planning authority's main consideration is likely to be the nature and scale of the shopping activity together with the amount of traffic it will generate.