--- title: "Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) Services for the East Lothian Local Development Plan" ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751.json" source: "Public Contracts Scotland" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "East Lothian Council" published: "2026-10-05" --- # Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) Services for the East Lothian Local Development Plan Buyer: East Lothian Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751.json) ## Summary East Lothian Council intends to commission consultants to assess the effects of its area-wide Local Development Plan on habitats under the Habitats Regulations. The work includes a Habitats Regulations Appraisal and a report to inform any Appropriate Assessment. The appraisal must follow NatureScot’s November 2023 guidance for plan-making bodies in Scotland. The consultant will be expected to consult NatureScot on the appraisal’s scope, any draft Appropriate Assessment and a working final draft of the appraisal record, and to take its views into account. The plan covers East Lothian; the work concerns the council’s development plan and its potential effects on protected habitats. This is at the planning stage: the council has stated its intention to procure and is conducting market engagement, not inviting tenders through this process. The council may contact interested suppliers through a questionnaire or market engagement events. It anticipates publishing a further notice on 30 October 2026. The Proposed Local Development Plan is due in March 2027. The procurement is described as consultancy services, with one planned lot. If changes to the plan are recommended following an Examination in Public, further assessment may be required. No procedure, contract duration, estimated value or evaluation criteria are set out at this stage; the scope and procurement approach may change, and any future contract is not guaranteed. This will suit environmental consultancies with demonstrable experience in Habitats Regulations Appraisal for plans in Scotland and the expertise to produce an appraisal record and evidence for an Appropriate Assessment. Suppliers should be able to apply NatureScot’s 2023 plan-making guidance, assess potential effects on habitats, consult effectively with NatureScot and incorporate its views so the appraisal is accepted as satisfactory. Capacity to undertake follow-on assessment if plan changes are recommended after examination may also be relevant. The council is seeking appropriately qualified and experienced consultants and is using market engagement to understand potential supplier interest ahead of any future competition. Firms able to deliver this work now or in the future can prepare to engage as the council develops its requirements. ## Notice East Lothian Council is preparing an area wide Local Development Plan (LDP), with the Proposed Plan due in March 2027. As part of this work, a formal assessment under the Habitats Regulations will be required. East Lothian Council is now seeking to appoint consultants to carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA), including a report to inform the Appropriate Assessment, and invites quotes and tenders from appropriately qualified and experienced consultants for this work. The consultant engaged will carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal following the methodology set out in NatureScot's "Habitat Regulations Appraisal of Plans - Guidance for Plan-making bodies in Scotland" revised in November 2023. The consultant is expected to consult NatureScot where appropriate, and in particular should consult them on scope of the HRA, the draft of any Appropriate Assessment required, and on a working final draft of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record. NatureScot's views must be taken into account such that they accept that the HRA has been satisfactorily carried out. Should the Proposed Local Development Plan be subject to recommended changes through an Examination in Public, this may lead to further assessment work to assess changes recommended to the plan. ### Lot Information Lot 1 East Lothian Council is preparing an area wide Local Development Plan (LDP), with the Proposed Plan due in March 2027. As part of this work, a formal assessment under the Habitats Regulations will be required. East Lothian Council is now seeking to appoint consultants to carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA), including a report to inform the Appropriate Assessment, and invites quotes and tenders from appropriately qualified and experienced consultants for this work. The consultant engaged will carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal following the methodology set out in NatureScot's "Habitat Regulations Appraisal of Plans - Guidance for Plan-making bodies in Scotland" revised in November 2023. The consultant is expected to consult NatureScot where appropriate, and in particular should consult them on scope of the HRA, the draft of any Appropriate Assessment required, and on a working final draft of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record. NatureScot's views must be taken into account such that they accept that the HRA has been satisfactorily carried out. Should the Proposed Local Development Plan be subject to recommended changes through an Examination in Public, this may lead to further assessment work to assess changes recommended to the plan.. The purpose of this PIN is for market engagement only. Information provided is not exhaustive and is subject to change. By noting interest please be aware you may be contacted during future market engagement, in relation to potential future contracts within the scope of this PIN - this could be in the form of questionnaire or market engagement events etc. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland | | Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT565899 | | Notice type | PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 5 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 30 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | East Lothian Council | | Locality | HADDINGTON, EAST LOTHIAN | | Postcode area | Edinburgh | | Postcode | EH41 3HA | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland | | ITL 3 | TLM11 East Lothian and Midlothian | | Local authority | East Lothian | | Electoral ward | Haddington and Lammermuir | | Westminster constituency | Lothian East | | Delivery location | TLM73 East Lothian and Midlothian | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services ### Codes - 71410000 - Urban planning services - 90711400 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services other than for construction ## Release History - 5 Oct 2026 at 01:00 - Planning - PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT565899 ## Documents - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT565899 Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) Services for the East Lothian Local Development Plan - East Lothian Council is preparing an area wide Local Development Plan (LDP), with the Proposed Plan due in March 2027. As part of this work, a formal assessment under the Habitats Regulations will be required. East Lothian Council is now seeking to appoint consultants to carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA), including a report to inform the Appropriate Assessment, and invites quotes and tenders from appropriately qualified and experienced consultants for this work. The consultant engaged will carry out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal following the methodology set out in NatureScot's "Habitat Regulations Appraisal of Plans - Guidance for Plan-making bodies in Scotland" revised in November 2023. The consultant is expected to consult NatureScot where appropriate, and in particular should consult them on scope of the HRA, the draft of any Appropriate Assessment required, and on a working final draft of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record. NatureScot's views must be taken into account such that they accept that the HRA has been satisfactorily carried out. Should the Proposed Local Development Plan be subject to recommended changes through an Examination in Public, this may lead to further assessment work to assess changes recommended to the plan. ## Notice URLs - http:// - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751 - https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=844751 ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000844751.json.