For many people, planning can feel confusing, technical or hard to know where to start. You might be thinking about building your own home, extending your property, converting a building, or trying to understand whether you need planning permission at all. Understanding planning early on can help you feel clearer and more confident about what is possible. A short conversation with someone who knows the system can make a real difference. 

Planning Aid Scotland staff members, including our Planning & Policy Manager David Wood and Planning & Projects Officer Anne Krippler, will be there across the weekend of 9-10 May alongside our volunteers, giving visitors the chance to talk through their planning questions in 15-minute advice clinics. 

David has been helping people navigate planning since joining Planning Aid Scotland in 2008. As he explains: 

“Often a small piece of advice which seems very simple to us as planners can be incredibly valuable to members of the public who have never engaged with planning.” 

Planning Aid Scotland’s Advice Service is run by staff and supported by volunteers, including chartered and recently retired planners with experience of the Scottish planning system. Each year, the service answers around a thousand queries from individuals, community groups and small organisations. 

Events like the Homebuilding & Renovating Show are a valuable opportunity to meet people face to face. 

“Giving in-person advice at events like these is always enjoyable. It is nice to be able to sit down and talk through issues, see the people behind the questions and feel like you’re really making a difference.” 

Visitors are encouraged to bring along their questions, ideas, plans or planning documents. Whether you are just starting out or have already reached a difficult point in the process, our team will do their best to help you understand your options and next steps. 

If you are coming along this weekend, visit the Planning Aid Scotland team at the Advice Centre. 

Looking for planning advice? 

If you cannot make it to the show, you can still visit our Advice Service page for information sheets, FAQs and more details. 

Interested in volunteering? 

Planning Aid Scotland is always keen to hear from chartered and recently retired planners who would like to use their skills to support people and communities across Scotland. To find out more, contact volunteer@pas.org.uk