diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 329068e..60645dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ For a new deployment of this tool follow the instructions to start a new project
 For local development; follow these steps:  
 1. Configure and run the scripts in the `/pipelines` 
 2. Use VScode to open dev containers for both the `/app` as the `/hail` folders
+  2.1 To open the /app devcontainer: 
+    - Navigate to 'File' in VSCode
+    - Open Folder
+    - Open the app folder
+    - This will prompt 'Reopen in devcontainer?', click yes. If this is not automatically promted you can CTRL + Shift + P and select 'Dev Container: Reopen in Dev Container. 
 3. In the `/app` dev container, start the client and backend with 2 terminals:
    1. `cd frontend && npm run dev`
    2. `cd src && python manage.py runserver`
diff --git a/app/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/app/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 5df7479..cd60ffb 100644
--- a/app/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/app/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ ARG NODE_VERSION="none"
 RUN if [ "${NODE_VERSION}" != "none" ]; then su vscode -c "umask 0002 && . /usr/local/share/nvm/nvm.sh && nvm install ${NODE_VERSION} 2>&1"; fi
 
 # [Optional] If your requirements rarely change, uncomment this section to add them to the image.
-COPY ./src/requirements/local.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
-COPY ./src/requirements/test.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
-COPY ./src/requirements/base.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
+COPY ./app/src/requirements/local.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
+COPY ./app/src/requirements/test.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
+COPY ./app/src/requirements/base.txt /tmp/pip-tmp/
 RUN pip3 --disable-pip-version-check --no-cache-dir install -r /tmp/pip-tmp/local.txt \
     && rm -rf /tmp/pip-tmp
 
@@ -32,13 +32,18 @@ RUN pip install --upgrade pip \
     && pip install ipython ipdb
 
 # [Optional] Uncomment this section to install additional OS packages.
-RUN rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/yarn.list \
-    && apt-get update && export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
-    && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends \
-    && apt-get install -y netcat gcc libpq-dev \
-    && apt-get install -y binutils libproj-dev gdal-bin \
-    && apt-get install -y vim curl gettext \
-    && apt-get install -y libmagickwand-dev \
-    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+RUN apt-get update && export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+        netcat-openbsd gcc libpq-dev \
+        binutils libproj-dev gdal-bin \
+        vim curl gettext \
+        libmagickwand-dev \
+        sudo \
+
+# Give vscode user sudo access
+RUN echo "vscode ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" >> /etc/sudoers
+
+# Pre-create XDG runtime dir so VS Code server can use it as non-root user
+RUN mkdir -p /home/vscode/xdg-runtime && chown vscode:vscode /home/vscode/xdg-runtime && chmod 700 /home/vscode/xdg-runtime
 
 EXPOSE 8000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer-lock.json b/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer-lock.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b076343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer-lock.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "features": {
+    "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git:1": {
+      "version": "1.3.5",
+      "resolved": "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git@sha256:27905dc196c01f77d6ba8709cb82eeaf330b3b108772e2f02d1cd0d826de1251",
+      "integrity": "sha256:27905dc196c01f77d6ba8709cb82eeaf330b3b108772e2f02d1cd0d826de1251"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index 2f69ebf..6c701d0 100644
--- a/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/app/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -27,13 +27,30 @@
         6379,
         3000
     ],
-    "remoteUser": "root",
+    "mounts": [
+        "source=${localEnv:HOME}/.gitconfig,target=/home/vscode/.gitconfig,type=bind,consistency=cached,readonly"
+    ],
+    "features": {
+        "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/git:1": {}
+    },
+    "remoteUser": "vscode",
+    "remoteEnv": {
+        "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR": "/home/vscode/xdg-runtime"
+    },
     "postCreateCommand": [
         "bash",
         "./.devcontainer/docker-entrypoint.sh"
     ],
+    "postStartCommand": "sudo chown -R vscode:vscode /workspace && git config --global --add safe.directory /workspace && git config --global --add safe.directory '*'",
     "settings": {
         "python.pythonPath": "/usr/local/bin/python",
         "python.formatting.provider": "black"
+    },
+    "customizations": {
+        "vscode": {
+            "settings": {
+                "git.openRepositoryInParentFolders": "always"
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml b/app/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
index f05a720..77d79bf 100644
--- a/app/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/app/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ version: "3.8"
 services:
   app:
     build:
-      context: ..
-      dockerfile: .devcontainer/Dockerfile
+      context: ../..
+      dockerfile: app/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
       args:
         NEXT_PUBLIC_WAGTAIL_API_URL: http://localhost:8000/wt/api/nextjs
         # Update 'VARIANT' to pick a version of Python: 3, 3.10, 3.9, 3.8, 3.7, 3.6
@@ -17,13 +17,14 @@ services:
     depends_on:
       - db
     volumes:
-      - ..:/workspace:cached
+      - ../..:/workspace:cached
+      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
     # Overrides default command so things don't shut down after the process ends.
     command: sleep infinity
     # Runs app on the same network as the database container, allows "forwardPorts" in devcontainer.json function.
     network_mode: service:db
-    # Uncomment the next line to use a non-root user for all processes.
-    # user: vscode
+     # Use non-root user for all processes to avoid git permission issues
+    user: vscode
 
     # Use "forwardPorts" in **devcontainer.json** to forward an app port locally.
     # (Adding the "ports" property to this file will not forward from a Codespace.)
diff --git a/app/.devcontainer/docker-entrypoint.sh b/app/.devcontainer/docker-entrypoint.sh
index b53d3cb..5ed3594 100644
--- a/app/.devcontainer/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/app/.devcontainer/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,38 @@
 # Credits: https://rock-it.pl/how-to-write-excellent-dockerfiles/
 CMD=$1
 
+# Configure git for the container
+configure_git() {
+  echo "Configuring git..."
+  
+  # Ensure vscode user owns the workspace
+  sudo chown -R vscode:vscode /workspace 2>/dev/null || true
+  
+  # Set git to treat the workspace as safe
+  git config --global --add safe.directory /workspace
+  git config --global --add safe.directory '*'
+  
+  # Set basic git configuration if not already set
+  if [ -z "$(git config --global user.name 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+    git config --global user.name "Dev User"
+  fi
+  
+  if [ -z "$(git config --global user.email 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+    git config --global user.email "dev@example.com"
+  fi
+  
+  # Fix ownership and permissions of git directories
+  if [ -d "/workspace/.git" ]; then
+    sudo chown -R vscode:vscode /workspace/.git 2>/dev/null || true
+    chmod -R u+w /workspace/.git 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
+  
+  # Set git file mode to false to avoid permission issues
+  git config --global core.filemode false
+  
+  echo "Git configuration complete"
+}
+
 wait_for_db () {
   if [ "$DATABASE" = "postgres" ]
   then
@@ -19,7 +51,7 @@ wait_for_db () {
 
 
 setup_django () {
-  cd /workspace/src
+  cd /workspace/app/src
 
   echo Running migrations
   python manage.py migrate --noinput
@@ -38,7 +70,7 @@ setup_django () {
 }
 
 load_fixture_data() {
-  cd /workspace/src
+  cd /workspace/app/src
 
   echo Install fixtures
 
@@ -48,13 +80,14 @@ load_fixture_data() {
 }
 
 setup_frontend () {
-  cd /workspace/frontend
+  cd /workspace/app/frontend
 
   echo Install the Node dependencies
   npm install
 }
 
 wait_for_db
+configure_git
 setup_django
 load_fixture_data
 setup_frontend
diff --git a/app/README.md b/app/README.md
index 062175a..3b52358 100644
--- a/app/README.md
+++ b/app/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@ We work using LTAP. Local runs on dev containers (see below). All TAP environmen
 
 ## Start Dev Container
 
-Visual Studio Code will detect that you are working in a Dev Container, click "Reopen in Container" to start the Dev container. Make sure there is an .env file for local development present in the `/frontend` folder, like this:
+    - Navigate to 'File' in VSCode
+    - Open Folder
+    - Open the app folder
+    - This will prompt 'Reopen in container?', click yes. If this is not automatically promted you can CTRL + Shift + P and select 'Dev Container: Reopen in Dev Container. 
+
+Make sure there is an .env file for local development present in the `/frontend` folder, like this:
 
 ```
 WAGTAIL_API_URL=http://localhost:8000/wt/api/nextjs