Planning pre-application advice

Planning and development 

Pre-Application Advice (Including VAT). The fees for pre-application planning advice are charged as below for the service and charged on an individual cost relating to the types of staff required and level of advice provided. 

Advice for schemes outside of those listed in the schedule below will only be offered where agreed by a Senior Manager in the Planning Department and would be a bespoke fee arrangement or Planning Performance Agreement based on the hourly rates for the required officers, including administration fees. 

About this service

The Council offers a pre-application advice service for householders, new residential, commercial developments and listed buildings.  

Before making a planning application, we suggest you use the service so that you can check your proposal is on the right lines before submitting a full application. This service will include a site visit.

For larger scale (i.e. major) proposals a separate meeting will also be included as part of the service.

Pre-application advice is given in good faith and represents the case officer’s professional view of the information you have supplied at the time you have given it. The advice given will be as accurate as possible but does not determine the outcome of your application.

Getting advice before your application is made will mean you:

• Find out if your scheme is acceptable before you spend too much time and money on what you want to do.
• Avoid making an application, in some instances, where there is no likelihood of getting planning permission.
• Understand the relevant policies and what specialist areas of advice will be applied to your development.
• Can identify potential problems early on.
• The advice we give you will mean that when the application is made you will have an improved chance of getting planning permission with your first application.

Timeframe for responses

Householder Applications (extensions, outbuildings, dormers etc) – 

• Fast track Service – five working days (will not include a site visit or specialist heritage advice)
• Normal Service - 20 working days

Pre application advice involving Listed Buildings and Development in Conservation Area may take longer than the service time given– i.e., 30 working days.

New residential and non-residential schemes up to nine new units/999 sq m of floorspace: 30 working days.

New residential and non-residential schemes 10 new units/1,000 sq m of floorspace  or above will be in accordance with agreed timeframes set out in a Planning Performance Agreement.

We aim to respond to your pre-application within the time frames above. If this isn't going to be possible, your case officer will contact you at the earliest opportunity to discuss this and agree a way forward.

Fees

The fee for pre-application advice depends on the type and scale of the proposed development. 

Householder Applications (extensions, outbuildings, dormers etc) - Fast track Service - five working days - £750.00.

Householder Applications (extensions, outbuildings, dormers etc) - Normal Service - 20 working days - £300.00.

Pre application advice involving Listed Buildings and Development in Conservation Area will cost an additional fee – See Specialist Officer Advice. The same will apply if any other specialist officers need to be involved in responding. 

Charges for using the transport model are in addition to those set out below. 

Charges for review of viability studies or other work requiring the appointment of external consultants will be agreed on a case by case basis and funded by the applicant.

Please see Pre-application fees for all new dwellings, commercial development or mixed schemes below:

Residential

• Per unit £426.00up to maximum of 49 units (£20,874.00).
• Schemes of 50 units or more be required to enter into a PPA.

Non-residential schemes

• No increase in gross floor space £241.00.
• Gross floor space to be created by the Development, fee £392.00 per 75 sq m up to a maximum of 999 sq m.
• Schemes of 1000 sq m or more will be required to enter into a PPA.

Mixed schemes

• A bespoke fee will be calculated based on the floor area and number of units.

Concessionary charge

Fees for Parish Councils/Local Community Groups that directly relate to their normal functions will generally be charged at 50% of the relevant rate. (Local Community Group eligibility determined at the discretion of the Head of Planning).

Planning performance agreements

For proposals for 10 or more residential units, or 1000 or more sq m of new floorspace that require evolving discussions, possibly over many months a bespoke pre-application service can be provided.

This would include a lead Planning Officer arranging for an initial inception or scoping meeting that will result in an agreed project plan, including timescales, key milestones and scheduled meetings. It will also scope out the potential involvement of other key officers within the Planning Department and wider council as appropriate. 

The cost of this will depend on the nature of the scheme and will be agreed on a case by case basis. It will be based on the hourly rates of the officers involved in the project. 

Hourly rates:

• Assistant Director of Planning/Deputy Head of Planning Per Hour £280.00.
• Policy Manager Per hour £213.00.
• Team Leader Per hour £185.00. 
• Principal Officer Per hour £168.00.
• Senior Officer Per hour £141.00.
• Officer Per hour £127.00.
• Specialist Officer Advice Per hour £141.00. 

Position on accepting amendments to planning applications

The council's position is not to seek or accept amendments after validation. We will not accept unsolicited amendments. Please do not seek amendments in response to an objection unless first agreed with your named planning case officer.

The council will exercise its discretion whether to request or accept amendments to a planning application under consideration.  Upon receipt of an application, we expect it to be:

• supported by relevant information ( what to submit with your application) and
• in a condition to be fully assessed and determined as submitted.

On that basis our position is not to seek or accept amendments after validation.  We emphasise this approach by encouraging all to engage in the pre-application service.

Guidance on amendments

This guidance will help you understand when the council will/will not request or accept amendments to planning applications.

We will only seek additional information and/or amendment at officer discretion under either or both of these two conditions:

1.    Further analysis of the case means more information or clarification is needed to complete the assessment of the scheme. For example, cross sectional or levels details drawings. (We would not accept information which requires further consultation)
2.    Amendments of a very minor nature that would improve the scheme.  This must be a necessary improvement and not jeopardise a decision within the statutory period. For example, requiring additional consultation or more detailed third party expert advice.

In addition, we will:

•    only accept one round of amendments to a submitted scheme.
•    only accept the amendment if an extension of time is agreed at the outset.
•    the amendments must be submitted within the timescale given by the named planning case officer.