Pre-application planning advice

The pre-application phase of development management is part of a positive and proactive planning process.

Engagement prior to any planning application being formally submitted can be critically important and should provide the applicant and the local planning authority with the opportunity to gain a clear understanding of the objectives of and constraints on development.

It also provides an opportunity for wider engagement, where appropriate, with other stakeholders, including the local community, which can deliver better outcomes for all parties.

Benefits of pre-application engagement

  • Identify opportunities for scheme improvements at a stage when a proposal can still be modified, resulting in higher quality developments
  • Significantly increase the likelihood of gaining planning permission
  • Allow more opportunity to coordinate investment
  • Help to communicate the vision and objectives for the area
  • Develop a shared understanding of constraints, opportunities and context
  • Agree information requirements and identify schemes which are unlikely to be supported
  • Establish timescales and explain administrative processes
  • Reduce delays through early engagement of key parties

About our pre-application advice service

The council provides a comprehensive pre-application advice service where you can choose the level of service that you require. This includes the ability to select whether consultees are invited to comment, whether you would like to meet with the case officer and/or key consultees and whether you require a quicker response than normal. The core fees are shown below for each development category with any additional services selected attracting an additional fee.

The core service includes a:

  • Site visit by the case officer
  • Site history check
  • Review of the proposal against the relevant policies of the development plan

We will aim to provide a response within 30 working days, unless a longer period is agreed in writing.

Fees

In order to provide a high quality and efficient service a fee is required. The fees are based on cost recovery and include the time spent by consultees and officers who support the process as well as the time of the case officer. They vary depending on the scale of the application and the level of service that you choose. For householder development, you may also wish to use the interactive guidance available on the Planning Portal's website and look at the adopted Supplementary Planning Document: House Extensions.

Planning Performance Agreement

The council also offers the opportunity to enter into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA). A PPA is a project management tool which allows all parties to agree timescales, actions and resources for handling planning applications.

Applying for pre-application advice

Anybody wishing to apply for planning permission is strongly advised to seek pre-application advice for the reasons set out above. Irrespective of whether pre-application advice has been sought, planning applications that are submitted for determination, but which require significant amendment to make them acceptable, will be refused without further negotiation.

All requests for pre-application advice must be made via the links to the development categories below. Please note that you must provide the minimum level of information set out in the online form to ensure that it can be accepted and so that appropriate and timely advice can be given.

For developments which are particularly large or complex or where a series of meetings are required to help with the evolution of a development proposal, it is considered that a more bespoke process should be followed so that the correct advice can be given. This advice would have to be provided by entering into a Planning Performance Agreement.

Pre-application planning advice categories

Choose the appropriate form below depending on the size of your development.

Category 9

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £8,300 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £5,800 (exclusive of VAT)

For 50 or more dwellings or the creation of 2500m2 or more of new floorspace

Category 8

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £4,300 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £3,000 (exclusive of VAT)

For 10 to 49 dwellings or the creation of 1000 to 2499m2 of new floorspace

Category 7

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £1,500 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £900 (exclusive of VAT)

For 5 to 9 dwellings or the creation of 500 to 999m2 of new floorspace

Category 6

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £800 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £600 (exclusive of VAT)

For 4 dwellings

Category 5

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £600 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £450 (exclusive of VAT)

For 3 dwellings or the creation of less than 500m2 of new floorspace

Category 4

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £400 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £300 (exclusive of VAT)

For 2 dwellings

Category 3

  • The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £250 (exclusive of VAT)
  • The basic fee for a new submission for planning officer advice only (such as without the advice of consultees) is £200 (exclusive of VAT)

For 1 dwelling

Category 2

For when there is a change of use or development that doesn't create additional floorspace (including works to listed buildings). The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £250 (exclusive of VAT).

Change of use of a property, no extra floorspace or works to a listed building

Category 1

This category relates to extensions to existing dwellings or any other development with their property boundary which requires planning permission.

It is also for anybody wishing to seek advice on the display of advertisements that require advertisement consent.

The basic fee for a new submission which includes consultee advice is £100 (exclusive of VAT).

Householder and adverts

Downloadable documents

If you are unable to view documents of these types, our downloads page provides links to viewing software.

This page was last updated on 28 June 2021

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