How to Make a Planning Application

Householder applications
If you are proposing to carry out work at a dwelling house, or a flat, we have a simplified Householder Planning Application Form. Please note that planning applications for a new dwelling (even if it is to replace an existing one), for change of use from a non-residential property to a dwelling, or to incorporate adjoining land within the site of an existing dwelling cannot be treated as householder applications.

Please fill in four copies, and return them to us with four copies of drawings (see section on Plans and Drawings) and the fee.

Making a Planning Application Index

General applications
You should use the General Planning Application Form for non-householder applications, including applications for change of use of an existing building. In most cases this will be for 'full' planning permission but an application for 'outline' planning permission may be more appropriate in order to establish the principle of what you are proposing. A change of use application will always be a 'full' application.

Outline permission will be subject to a condition requiring the subsequent approval of any 'reserved matters' (i.e. siting, design, external appearance, means of access and the landscaping of the site) that were not included in the original application.

The Council also has the power to require details of some or all of the reserved matters to be submitted before it can make a decision on an outline application. If this is required, we will tell you within 28 days of the day your application was received.

You should use the general application form when you apply for the approval of 'reserved matters' following the grant of outline permission. This form should also be used if you want to apply to vary a condition on a previous permission, or to remove a condition completely, or to renew a temporary permission.

Please fill in three copies of the form and return it to us with three copies of drawings (see section on Plans and Drawings) and the fee.

Making a Planning Application Index

Description of proposal
You should describe your proposal in terms of what planning permission is being sought for.

In the case of householder applications the wording might be: 'construction of two-storey side extension'; 'construction of conservatory'; 'erection of 2m high fence'.

For other development examples could include 'construction of five houses', 'construction of factory', 'installation of new shop front', 'erection of 2.4m high fence', 'reclamation of site for future development'.

In the case of change of use, please specify the existing use or, if vacant, the last use, and proposed use.

Please remember that we will need to publicise your application and that consultees and the public will need to be able to have a clear idea of what you are proposing. Avoid reference to use classes (with which the public may not be familiar) and be as specific as possible e.g. refer to restaurant rather than food and drink use. It is not generally necessary to make reference to sizes (e.g. floorspace or area) in descriptions, although number of units of residential property should be specified (unless it is an outline application) and height of a particular feature should be included (e.g. fence or telecommunications tower). If the proposed development includes stopping up or diversion of highways then the proposed change of use of the highway must be included in the description.

We will check that your description is appropriate for what you are proposing. When we register your application we may change the description so that it reflects more accurately what you are proposing. If we do this we will tell you when we acknowledge receipt of your application.

Making a Planning Application Index

Plans and drawings

Measurements
All measurements must be in metric units. Please use metres and millimetres, and square metres or hectares.

Making a Planning Application Index

Numbering of plans
Please make sure that all your plans, except the site location plan, are numbered. We need this to be done because the decision will refer to specific plans. If any of your drawings are revised after they are submitted but before the decision is made, please make sure that each revised drawing is dated and given a suffix letter, A, B, C etc.

Making a Planning Application Index

Trees and landscaping
Any trees on your development site must be shown on the site layout plan. Details should be given of species and canopy spread of each tree. You should indicate which trees are to be retained, felled or lopped. You should indicate how any retained trees are to be protected during construction work.

Landscaping is an important feature of a development. We recognise that detailed proposals of species and densities may not be available when you submit your application. However, your site layout plan should indicate the location of proposed hard and soft landscaping works, including any retaining walls, and retained and proposed tree, shrub and grass areas.

Where appropriate, permission will be granted subject to a condition requiring the submission and approval of a detailed landscaping specification before development work starts. We have published a note (SPG1) with guidelines for applicants in producing landscape schemes for planning applications.

Making a Planning Application Index

Certificates
On the application form you will need to certify if you own the entire application site. If you do not own the entire site, you must serve notice on all other owners and then certify to us that you have done so. We have a blank notice that you can complete and use for this purpose. You also need to certify on the application form whether or not the application site is an agricultural holding.

Making a Planning Application Index

Information about non-residential development
If your proposal is for non-residential development, unless it is for minor physical work that does not involve increased floor space, we will ask you for information about the current and proposed use of the floorspace, numbers of employees, arrangements for parking and loading of goods vehicles and the nature of industrial processes and machinery to be used.

Making a Planning Application Index

Fees
We have published the national schedule of fees charged for Making a Planning Application. There is a flat rate fee of £135 for extensions or alterations to a dwelling house or flat. For other types of development you should refer to the fees schedule.

Making a Planning Application Index

Additional information
If you wish, you can provide us with additional information in a covering letter or separate report to help us understand your proposal. If you do this, the additional information will become part of your application and it will be available for inspection by the public. In the case of some large or complex proposals (e.g. where an environmental statement is required or where the site is included in an area of known archaeological interest) you may need to submit additional information before the application can be validated.

Making a Planning Application Index

Validating and registering planning applications
When we receive your application we will check that it is valid. We will check that the description is correct, that all the necessary plans and drawings as described above are provided, that you have signed the form and the certificates and that you have provided the correct fee. If you follow the advice provided on these pages we are more likely to be able to validate your application.

If we cannot validate your application we will write to you and tell you why within three working days of receipt.

Once we have validated your application we will write to you and acknowledge receipt. We will do this within three days of receipt of a valid application. Your application will be valid from the date from the date we received it, or in the case of applications that were not valid when received, from the date that we received the information to make it valid. Information on how we process a Planning Application.

Making a Planning Application Index

Complex applications
In the case of complex applications we will agree a timetable with the applicant for the processing of the application. This should be done before the submission of the application. We define complex applications as including those for developments that are included in Schedules 1 or 2 of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999, and applications that, while not being included within either of those schedules, are of significant local importance or that may give rise to significant local controversy.

> How we process a Planning Application.