Planning and development: standing advice and guidance documents

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Badger

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Bats

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Beaver

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Great Crested Newt

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Mountain Hare

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Otter

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Pine Marten

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Red Squirrel

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Reptiles

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Water Vole

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Protected Species: Wildcat

General

Natura sites and the Habitats Regulations - How to consider proposals affecting SACs and SPAs in Scotland

Rivers

Advice to developers when considering new projects which could affect the River Tay SAC

River South Esk SAC: Advice to planning applicants

River Tweed SAC and SSSI guidance for planners and developers

Lochs

Loch Leven Special Protection Area and Ramsar site: advice to planning applicants in relation to phosphorus and foul drainage in the catchment

Dunkeld – Blairgowrie Lochs Special Area Conservation: supplementary-guidance

Estuaries

Habitats Regulations Appraisal on the Firth of Forth – A guide for developers and regulators

Habitats Regulations Appraisal on the Moray Firth - A Guide for developers and regulators

General

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Birds

Survey methods

Capercaillie survey methods

Bird breeding season dates in Scotland

Disturbance distances in selected Scottish bird species

Assessing connectivity with Special Protection Areas

Impact assessment

Natural Heritage Zone bird population estimates 

Environmental Statements and annexes of environmentally sensitive bird information

Mitigation measures

Dealing with construction and birds

Implications of additional protection for hen harrier, red kite and golden eagle under Schedules A1 & 1A of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981)

The use of helicopters and aircraft in relation to disturbance risks to Schedule 1 & 1A raptors and wider Schedule 1 species

Guidance on how to restore peatland once commercial peat extraction has ceased

Guidance on developments on peatland: peatland survey (Scottish Government, SEPA, NatureScot)

Carbon and peatland 2016 map (Scotland’s Soils)

Peat landslide hazard and risk assessments: best practice guide for proposed electricity generation developments (Scottish Government)

Floating roads on peat (FCS, NatureScot)

Advising on carbon-rich-soils, deep-peat and priority peatland habitat in development management

Standing Advice for Planning Consultations - Peatland Restoration Projects in protected landscapes

Peatland ACTION - Technical Compendium

Use of trees cleared to facilitate development on afforested land (SEPA, FCS & NatureScot)

A guide to understanding the Scottish Ancient Woodland Inventory

Standing advice and guidance for forestry and woodland planning - Geological Conservation Review Sites and Earth Science SSSIs

Planning for development: What to include and consider in Habitat Management Plans

Planning for development: What to consider and include in deer assessments and management at development sites

Pollinators in planning and construction

Standing advice for planning consultations – Telecommunication masts in National Scenic Areas, National Parks and Wild Land Areas

Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (Landscape Institute)

Wild Land Area descriptions

Assessing impacts on Wild Land Areas - technical guidance

Considering air pollution impacts in development management casework

Constructed tracks in the Scottish Uplands

Key natural heritage considerations in track construction – a quick-guide

Car-parks in the countryside - a practical guide to planning, design and construction

Environmental Impact Assessment Handbook

Siting and design

Spatial planning for onshore wind turbines - natural heritage considerations

Siting and designing wind farms in the landscape

Scoping

General pre-application/scoping advice to developers of onshore wind farms

Survey methods

Recommended bird survey methods to inform impact assessment of onshore wind farms

Bats and onshore wind turbines - survey, assessment and mitigation

Environmental impact assessment

Visual representation of wind farms

Assessing the cumulative landscape and visual impact of onshore wind energy developments

Assessing the cumulative impacts of onshore wind farms on birds

Assessing the significance of impacts on bird populations from onshore wind farms that do not affect protected areas

Carbon-calculator for wind farms on Scottish peatlands: factsheet (Scottish Government)

Assessing the impact of small-scale wind energy proposals on the natural heritage

Dealing with proposals for the variation of section 36 wind farm consents

Collision risk assessment

Wind farm impacts on birds - calculating a theoretical collision risk assuming no avoiding action

Wind farm impacts on birds - calculating the probability of collision

Wind farm impacts on birds - use of avoidance rates in the NatureScot wind farm collision risk model

Wind farm impacts on birds - flight speeds and biometrics for collision risk modelling

A review of red-throated diver and great skua avoidance rates at onshore wind farms in Scotland

Assessing impacts to pink-footed and greylag geese from small-scale wind farms in Scotland

Mitigation measures

Assessment and mitigation of impacts of power lines and guyed meteorological masts on birds

Wind farm proposals on afforested sites - advice on reducing suitability for hen harrier, merlin and short-eared owl

Construction

Good practice during wind farm construction

Monitoring

Monitoring the impact of onshore wind farms on birds

Methods for monitoring bird populations at onshore wind farms

Decommissioning

Decommissioning and Restoration Plans for wind farms

Survey and monitoring

Survey and monitoring in relation to marine renewables deployments in Scotland

Towards the standardised seabirds at sea census techniques in connection with environmental impact assessments for offshore wind farms in the UK (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)

Recommendations for presentation and content of interim marine bird, mammal and basking shark survey reports for marine renewable energy developments

MRSeaPower: Methodological development and implementation of MRSeaPower (Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling)

Using the MRSea Package: Statistical modelling of bird and cetacean distributions in offshore renewables development areasMRSeaPower: Methodological development and implementation of MRSeaPower (Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling)

Environmental impact assessment

Offshore renewables – guidance on assessing the impact on coastal landscape and seascape: guidance for scoping and Environmental Statement

Coastal character assessment: Orkney and North Caithness

Review of seabird demographic rates and density dependence (JNCC)

Joint Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies Interim Displacement Advice Note (JNCC, NRW, NE, NIEA, DAERA, NatureScot)

Interim guidance on apportioning impacts from marine renewable developments to breeding seabird populations in Special Protection Areas

Explanatory notes for table of seasonal periods for birds in the Scottish marine environment

Non-breeding season populations of seabirds in UK waters: Population sizes for Biologically Defined Minimum Population Scales (Natural England)

Collision risk assessment

Using a collision risk model to assess bird collisions for offshore wind farms (Band 2012)

Joint Response from the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies to the Marine Scotland Science Avoidance Rate Review (JNCC, NRW, NE, NIEA, NatureScot)

General advice

Hydroelectric schemes and the natural heritage

Hydroelectric development planning tool 

Environmental impact assessment

Assessing the impacts of small scale hydroelectric schemes on rare bryophytes and lichens

Bryological assessment for hydroelectric schemes in the West Highlands

Guidance for applicants on supporting information requirements for hydropower applications (Scottish Government, Marine Scotland, SEAP, NatureScot)

Construction

Guide to hydropower construction good practice (SEPA, Scottish Renewables, NatureScot)

Guide to Hydro Construction Good Practice

Good practice image guide for contractors

Assessing collision risk between underwater turbines and marine wildlife

General pre-application and scoping advice for solar farms

Micro renewables and nature conservation – a guide for householders and installers

Siting and design

Guidance on landscape/seascape capacity for aquaculture

The siting and design of aquaculture in the landscape: visual and landscape considerations

Environmental impact assessment

Visualisations for aquaculture

Mitigation measures

Proposed use of acoustic deterrents at fish farms affecting the Inner Hebrides & the Minches SAC

Standing advice for planning consultations – Telecommunication masts in National Scenic Areas, National Parks and Wild Land Areas

Siting and design guidelines for mobile telecommunications developments in the Highlands and Islands