Pre-Application Planning Advice
From the 5 July 2010 to ensure that future planning applications are well prepared and have the appropriate information and plans, the council is improving its pre- application service. This service will enable the Council to become more actively involved in planning applications at an early stage. This will help improve the quality of design , encourage greater public consultation and enable the council to process pre application enquiries and subsequent planning applications more quickly.
Important - New Charges
It was agreed at the Full Council meeting on 11 January 2012 to change our charges for the 'pre application planning advice service'.
The new charges will come into effect from 6 April 2012. There will be a £50 charge to apply for a meeting about pre application advice for householder planning applications. There will also be a £25 charge for only written advice.
Benefits of Pre Application Advice
It gives you an opportunity to understand how our policies will be applied to your development and you can identify potential problems and resolve them before an application is submitted .This can help prevent costly and time consuming amendments to schemes later;
- It may indicate that a proposal has little or no realistic chance of success , so saving you considerable time and money;
- It may lead to a reduction in time spent by your professional advisers in working up the proposals in more detail
- It can identify at an early stage whether any specialist advice is needed- e.g. about listed buildings , trees , flood risk , highways etc
- We can discuss with you details of the proposal such as its design and the materials to be used. This can help you prepare a better planning application so we can process it more quickly and give you a decision sooner.
To request pre application advice you will need to complete a Request Form stating the full site address and details of the proposal. A scaled location plan and photographs will be required as necessary, together with the relevant fee (see fees below). Please note that VAT increased on the 4 January 2011. The scale of charges for any advice has, therefore, altered.
Responses can either be by letter or discussed at a meeting with a follow up letter. A response by letter will be provided within 10 days of receipt of the valid application. A meeting with the case officer and any appropriate internal consultees, followed by a letter will normally take place within 21 days.
Scale of Charges - Pre-application advice Fee to include VAT
| Meetings | Fee including VAT |
|---|---|
| Very large Major * (over 200 dwellings (or 4 hectares or more where no number is given) or commercial over 10,000 sq.m.(or site area over 2 hectares ) | £1,000 per hour |
| Major * (10 to 199 dwellings ( or less than 4 hectares) or commercial between 1000 sq.m. and 9,999 sq. m. ( or where site area is less than 2 hectares) | £500 per hour |
| Minor * ( 1 to 9 dwellings or 0.5 hectares or less ) or commercial (less than 1,000 sq m or less than 1 hectare | £250 per hour |
| Other (excluding householder and listed buildings) | £100 per hour |
| Householder | £50 |
| Charities, voluntary groups and parish councils | Free |
| Works/repairs to listed buildings | Free |
| Letters | Fee including VAT |
| Very large Major * (over 200 dwellings (or 4 hectares or more where no number is given) or commercial over 10,000 sq.m.(or site area over 2 hectares) | £500 |
| Major * (10 to 199 dwellings ( or less than 4 hectares) or commercial between 1000 sq.m. and 9,999 sq. m. ( or where site area is less than 2 hectares) | £250 |
| Minor * ( 1 to 9 dwellings or 0.5 hectares or less ) or commercial (less than 1,000 sq m or less than 1 hectare | £125 |
| Other (excluding householder and listed buildings) | £50 |
| Householder | £25 |
| Charities, voluntary groups and parish councils | Free |
| Works/repairs to listed buildings | Free |
If you have any enquires, please contact the Planning Department.
Once the relevant information and fee are received, then the Development Control Team will acknowledge your enquiry. A case officer will be allocated and a response will be sent with a TARGET OF 21 DAYS. If a meeting or site visit is necessary, or if further information or time is required, then the case officer will contact you. Please note that complex proposals will normally involve a meeting with the council's "development team".
Please note that pre application advice does not constitute a formal decision of the Council and would not prejudice or amount to pre determination of any future planning application by the Council.
