[Scotsdumpy]

So, something a bit different! We live in a very rural situation with very few neighbours. One of our neighbours is extremely rich (but a nice enough chap) whose father farmed one of the neighbouring properties - so we know him fairly well. Another neighbouring property came up for sale and he bought it - mainly for the forest which is one of many that he owns and the fuel runs a biomass boiler at anothe location. All good so far. He has renovated the farmhouse to a very high standard and is now currently for sale along with a few acres of scrubby land.  The large steading is not included in the sale nor is the rest of the land and forest. Can you hear the alarm bells ringing yet? Now, there have been many rumours in the past that the intention is to demolish the steading and put up a few houses.... we heard directly from our neighbour that this is indeed his intention once the farmhouse is sold.
He has previously done something similar in other localities ie demolish a steading and develop the site with housing so he seems to be  experienced  with the planning system.  There seems to be a thing in Scotland where planners smile favourably on this sort of development.
I've googled how to oppose planning permission and feel that there are plenty of grounds to put in a reasonable objection.
Has anyone had experience of this sort of situation - I know I might come across a a bit of a nimby but this seems to be a development for developments sake!

[Fleecewife]

We and another neighbour did object to a third neighbour's submitted PP application and in the end we won and the proposed development did not go ahead.  We had the advantage of the planners being on our side, and having another very vocal neighbour also objecting.  In our case the grounds for opposition were clear cut.  We had to submit a very detailed and well worded objection, which mentioned many points.  The refusal was based on what we had thought of as the least of those points.  There was an official hearing, all very formal, and now our neighbour no longer speaks to us, which is something else to consider.  For a previous application for another development, we had told our neighbour that we would not object, but for this second plan we told him we would, which seems fair. 
Have you discussed the details of your rich neighbour's proposal with him?  It could be that if he knows you will object, that he will consider renovating rather than rebuilding in his initial application.
However, don't assume that because your developer has done this before, that he has the planners on his side.  Of course it depends on your local council, but planners can take great offence when they feel they are being taken for granted by developers.
So my first advice would be to research the local planning laws and see where you might have a fair and legal objection. It could be that your success might only be that he has to renovate and convert the original steading buildings rather than demolish and put up new houses, but for the character of the houses that would be worthwhile, even if you can't prevent some work being done. 
A great word to use in discussions is "vernacular" ie the local style.  So you might say that the proposed architectural drawings are not in the local vernacular, for example they are two storey ranch-style houses, when the local style is single storey cottages.

[Scotsdumpy]

Thanks fleecewife - we don't particularly want to fall out with our neighbour as he is very weel kent - wecwould be falling out with most of the farming community around here! I've checked the local plan but things get very ambiguous when it comes to vernacular buildings. I think the steading isn't redundant or derelict, the roof is intact but probably could do to be replaced and, in my eyes, is a good example of a traditional steading. I'm also rather envious of it from a smallholders viewpoint!  He has offered to show us his intentions and will pop by next time he's up this way. I intend telling him that I will object - for one thing, the access track comes through and is 'owned' by me. He has no water supply apart from a borehole on the edge of our land that supplies the farmhouse and the electricity supply is only suitable for the 2 properties on the track. Our 3rd neighbour is offgrid. Money is no object to him and will pay for mains water to be installed - wether he has to get an easment from my deedsis another matter.
Hopefully we will be able to at least make him think again! Its a real shame that a few farming types have viewed the property and have been put off because the steading wasnt included - I'd like to think we would have had these people as neighbours rather than folk not used to farming activities.