Major Planning Applications and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)

We are committed to delivering a major pre-application service to assist in identifying key issues and information that will need to be submitted as part of a major planning application. To ensure these objectives are delivered, procedures have been put in place for dealing with pre-application advice for major applications.
This guidance outlines the process that we follow to provide efficient pre-application advice to developers within Moray to support the local economy. The service will help to make the planning process more efficient by encouraging early and effective communication to help in identifying key issues early on in the process and avoid delays during the processing of the applications.

Charges

Please be aware there is a charge for this service, please refer to our current scale of fees and ways to pay.

By using this service you will receive advice on a number of material considerations including:

• Policy
• Site constraints
• Transportation
• Amenity/nature conservation
• Design
• Planning Obligation
• Flooding and drainage
• List of key documents/information

If you would like to use this service please complete the pre-application meeting form below and select one of the pre-set dates which is most convenient to you. As much supporting information about your proposal should be provided at this stage along with the fee, for the current fee please refer to our scale of charges.

For more details on the process and how we will deal with any subsequent application please read A Pre-application Guide for Major Developments (PDF)

Early Design Advice

Request a pre-application meeting Dates of meetings

We are fully committed to achieving a high standard of design through the Moray Local Development Plan 2020 (LDP) primary policy PP3 Placemaking, Urban Design Guide, Masterplans and Development Briefs.  Scottish Government policy on Creating Places and Designing Streets, and the SCOTS National Roads Development Guide will also be taken into account along with any other relevant material considerations when issuing design advice.  

Developers are invited to enter into early dialogue with us about the design and layout of their proposed development. The purpose is to ensure that development is designed to a high standard in that it encapsulates the 6 key qualities of a successful place: distinctive, safe and pleasant, easy to move around, welcoming, adaptable, and resource efficient.  

The advice provided can be used to inform the Design Statement to be submitted with a major planning application. Developers are also encouraged to prepare a quality audit using the template attached below. This audit will also be undertaken by us to inform early design discussion and the determination of a planning application. Where applicants choose not to submit a quality audit, a team of officers will carry out the audit, based upon the proposal submitted. The proposed audit uses a traffic light system.