Jump to: Duty planner service – Pre-application meeting or written advice – Planning performance agreements
Duty planner service
For domestic (householder) queries only, we offer 15 minutes of free advice and guidance with a duty planning officer to support you with your planning application relating to your home. The duty planner can answer questions about:
- the planning application process for householder applications
- how householder planning applications are assessed
- conditions that have been attached to a householder planning permission
- extensions, conservatories or a porch
- a garage or outbuilding
- new or altered vehicle access
- dormer windows or roof alterations
- a wall or fence
- new windows or doors
The appointments are over the phone and available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 9.40am to 12.20pm.
Phone us on 01223 457200 to book an appointment.
Pre-application meeting or written advice
We offer various kinds of paid-for pre-application advice, which can save time and money for anyone considering submitting a planning application. Options range from a 30-minute video call consultation, through to meetings and written responses from specialist officers. This service can:
- identify the main planning issues for your proposal and how you could address them
- tell you what you need to submit with your planning application
- speed up the overall process of getting planning permission
- reduce the costs of your eventual application
- avoid applications getting rejected by us due to insufficient information or applying for the wrong type of permission.
Our pre-application advice service cannot guarantee that any subsequent application will be approved, but it will give you an indication of how successful it may be.
How long does it take?
After you submit and pay for your request for advice, you will receive an email within 5 working days, to confirm that we have got your application and tell you which planning officer will be dealing with it.
The case officer will normally contact you within 8 working days and arrange a site visit if required.
We will respond to a householder pre-application within 4 weeks, and other types of pre-applications within 6 weeks. These timescales relate to requests for written responses, and start from the time the request is submitted.
How much does it cost?
Fees are shown in the different categories below.
Fees are waived for small charities and applications specifically required for the needs of disabled persons.
Payment is taken online via a credit or debit card.
Apply for pre-application advice
You will need to submit, at minimum, the following information so we understand your proposal and can assign it to someone who can help:
- site location plan
- payment
The forms below replace our previous printable application forms, which we no longer accept.
Householder pre-application advice
| Service | Cost (including VAT) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| 30-minute householder advice | £90 | 30-minute meeting (not including site visit, and does not include written response) for simple alterations, for example, conservatories, repair work, garden shed. |
| Householder (no site visit) | £180 | Background research on your property and a written response only. |
| Householder (including a site visit) | £276 | Background research on your property, a 1-hour meeting on site and a written response. |
Residential developments pre-application advice
| Service | Cost (including VAT) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| (Minor) 1 to 2 dwellings | £380.40 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Minor) 3 to 9 dwellings | £994.80 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 10 to 24 dwellings | £1,542 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 25 to 50 dwellings | £2,313.60 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 51 to 100 dwellings | £3,320.40 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| 100 plus dwellings | Bespoke | The pricing will be tailored to your needs. |
Non-residential developments pre-application advice
| Service | Cost (including VAT) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| (Minor) up to 499 square metres | £747.60 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Minor) 500 to 999 square metres | £980.40 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 1000 to 1999 square metres | £1,548 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 2000 to 9999 square metres | £3,240 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| (Major) 10000 plus square metres | £3,577.20 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Complex developments | Bespoke | The pricing will be tailored to your needs. |
| Small businesses (9 employees or fewer) | £276 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
Other types of development pre-application advice
| Service | Cost (including VAT) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | £408 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Wind/solar |
|
Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Discharge of conditions (only for major schemes) | £276 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Student accommodation | 50% of the base fee for similar sized residential developments | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Telecoms | £360 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Listed building (for listed building consent only) | £300 | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
| Change of use | 75% of the base fee for similar sized residential developments | Background research about your site and proposal. A site visit from a planning officer. Written advice and feedback. |
Pre-application follow up
Pre-application follow-up advice is only available after a pre-application written response has been issued and agreement with the planning officer assigned to your case.
Planning performance agreements
For large or complex applications, we offer a planning performance agreement (PPA) service.
A PPA is a service agreement between the applicant and the Planning Service which allows all parties to agree timescales and resources for handling planning applications. PPAs are usually agreed at the pre-application stage and relate to the whole development process, from pre-application planning advice and community engagement, to application progress meetings right through to the post decision stage, including the discharge of conditions and site monitoring. PPAs can be used for any type of application but are most effective for major and complex planning applications.
As with any pre-application advice, a PPA does not guarantee planning consent will be achieved, but it can make the process smoother and more efficient, with a more predictable timeframe for a decision being reached.
Benefits of a planning performance agreement
The key benefits of a PPA are as follows:
- Identification of key issues and relevant consultees at an early stage
- Setting more realistic and predictable timetables, with a structure of deadlines and action points
- Improved collaborative working between the key stakeholders
- Better overall management of advice at pre-application and post application stages
- Greater accountability, transparency and communication
- Better project management with dedicated resources
- Removal of statutory timescales for the determination of applications
- Greater commitment from relevant consultees to respond in a timely manner, particularly internal consultees
- Better commitment to community engagement and consultation, enabling communities to influence planning decisions
- Ability to recover costs, thereby reducing the financial burden on council resources
Contact us if you would like to discuss setting up a planning performance agreement.
