The question few people ask
Most people compare designers on portfolio, fees and how they communicate. Just as important: how often has this studio applied to your council recently, and what happened?
Every council has its own planning team, its own reading of NPF4 and its own approach to pre-application advice. Experience with that authority counts.
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What local knowledge means in practice
- Pre-application advice. How to frame a scheme for a sensitive site, and which issues to address up front.
- Design. Understanding what each authority responds to.
- Builders. Knowing who consistently builds well in the area, and who suits timber frame or SIPs.
- Landscape. Designing for a particular glen, strath or village edge, not a generic "rural Scotland".
- Site visits. Being close enough to be on site when it matters.
Questions to ask any designer
Ask about your council
How many applications have you made to my council in the last two years? Can I see recently approved schemes in its area? The answers show how well placed a designer is to guide your project.
General guidance for Scotland, not legal, tax, financial or planning advice for your project. Rules change, so check current official guidance and take advice specific to your site before acting.
