Road construction consent

In accordance with Section 21 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, anyone proposing to construct a new road or extend an existing road must obtain Road Construction Consent (RCC) from the roads authority. Construction works on existing roads do not require RCC but will normally require other consents, including a permit.

Nationally agreed guidance on road construction consents and road bonds has been developed by the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), available in their guide for the Road Construction Consent and Road Bond process. Cognisance should be taken in the first instance from the National Roads Development Guide, and the resulting RCC application should satisfy the technical details as set out in East Lothian Council's Standards for Development Roads.

Before you can apply for an RCC, you must obtain planning permission. Following the granting of planning permission please fill in and submit the following forms to transportplanning@eastlothian.gov.uk

Drawing list

Location plan
General arrangement plan (in the context of any surrounding development phasing)
Road setting out and levels layout
Road construction details (where different to our standard details)
Road longitudinal sections
Kerbing layout
Drainage layout including SuDS
Drainage construction details (where different to our standard details)
Drainage longitudinal sections
Finishes layout
Vehicle swept path analysis (for residential areas, use the "Large Rigid Vehicle" as defined by the Freight Transport Association; for bus routes, use a 13.5m bus)
Road adoption plan
Land factoring plan
Quality Audit – including Stage 2 Road Safety Audit together with the Designer's Response
Signs and lines drawing
Traffic signals layout and operational details
Street lighting layout and Calculations
Electric vehicle chargepoint layout and connections
General arrangement and structural details for structures associated with the road network
Any other details required to enable the assessment of the proposal

Supporting documents list

Scottish Water Approval

Evidence of Scottish Water's Technical Approval will be required, which should reference the most recent versions of all the drainage drawings.

Drainage Assessment

Evidence that the Drainage Assessment, including a Surface Water Management Plan has been submitted to and approved by the Statutory Authorities.

Any questions about the Drainage Assessment requirements should be directed to flooding@eastlothian.gov.uk.

DNO comments on EV infrastructure

We require confirmation from the DNO (electrical Distribution Network Operator, currently SPEN for our area) regarding the suitability of the grid connection for electric vehicle chargepoints.

Structures Technical Approval

Where the submission includes structures associated with the road network (e.g. retaining walls, culverts or bridges) the application will be subject to Technical Approval Procedures as outlined in CG 300 of the Design Manual for Roads & Bridges, and Technical Approval must be sought before the application for an RCC. If the need for an additional or amended structure arises after the granting of Road Construction Consent, the developer should seek the approval of the Council’s Roads Authority before starting construction of it.

Any questions about Structures Technical Approval should be directed to bridges@eastlothian.gov.uk.

Lighting Impact Assessment

A Lighting Impact Assessment will be required in accordance with guidance from the Institution of Lighting Professionals. Please note that you will be expected to ensure that lighting on existing roads is suitable for any new accesses. Email stlighting@eastlothian.gov.uk with any queries relating to lighting.

Mineral Working Report

In areas which are known to have been in-filled or have a history of mineral workings, we may require a mineral report together with supporting information on ground stability.

Quality Audit Report

A Quality Audit should be submitted including details of how any issues raised have been addressed.