Planning Permission

Planning is about how we plan for, and make decisions about the future of our cities, towns and countryside. Your local planning authority is responsible for deciding whether a development – anything from an extension on a house to a new shopping centre – should go ahead. For example, in most cases, it would probably not be a good idea to apply to build a nightclub or disco next to a retirement home.

However, careful and clever planning combined with sensitive design and landscaping can make some development acceptable where it would previously be thought unsuitable. This is the reason that applications are considered so carefully. The planning system is needed to control development in your area.

Check planning permission section of the government website for further guidance.

To make a planning application for full planning consent, you have to first contact the relevant local authority. This can either be done online via the Planning Portal or on paper using the relevant forms.

Your application must be accompanied by the necessary plans of the site, the required supporting documentation, the completed form and the fee. Once an application has been validated and registered, the local planning authority (LPA) will then publicise and consult on it.

They will also either notify your neighbours or put up a notice on or near the site. In certain cases, applications are also advertised in a local newspaper. This gives the public the opportunity to express views. The parish, town or community council will usually be notified, other bodies such as the county council, the Environment Agency and the relevant Government Office for the region may also need to be consulted.

Most planning applications are decided within eight weeks unless they are unusually large or complex – in which case the time limit is extended to 13 weeks.

When deciding whether a planning application is in line with its Development Plan, the LPA will consider the following:

• The number, size, layout, siting and external appearance of buildings
• The infrastructure available – e.g. roads and water supply – and proposed means of access
• Any landscaping requirements
• The proposed use of the development
• The likely impact on the surrounding area

A planning officer will present a recommended decision to a planning committee – made up of elected councillors. Applicants may attend these meetings and, in many cases, are entitled to speak briefly. Only the elected councillors can vote on the planning application itself. They do not always follow the planning officer’s advice. Councillors or planning officers cannot refuse a planning proposal simply because many people oppose it. If an application is refused – or granted subject to conditions – that decision must be based on the approved plans and policies of the LPA’s Development Plan. The key considerations will be whether the proposal would unacceptably affect amenities and the existing use of land and buildings which ought to be protected in the public interest.

Once a decision has been reached, the LPA must give either a summary of its reasons for granting permission or detailed reasons for refusal.

If an application is refused – or granted subject to conditions – the applicant will be told in writing. They then have the right to appeal.

The earlier you bring our town planners on board, the more you will benefit from our expert advice. We recommend our involvement with your project from its inception as it helps to safeguard against potential problems at a later date, thus saving you time and money.

Your Local Planning Authority (LPA) is responsible for considering planning applications.

ou can apply to every local authority in England through the Planning Portal.

It is possible to make changes after receiving planning permission and there are a number of options for this;

• Non-material amendments – for very minor changes that do not materially alter the size and scale of the development
• Minor material amendments – for less minor changes whose scale and nature results in a development which is not substantially different from the one which has been approved.
• Time limit extensions – to change the expiry date of a planning permission

For more information on whether you can amend a submitted planning application, visit the Planning Portal website.

By law, any planning permission granted expires after a certain period. Generally, unless your permission says otherwise, you have three years from the date it’s granted to begin the development. If you haven’t started work by then, you will probably need to reapply.

A collection of surveys conducted between 2017 and 2019 indicate that between 27 and 34% of recent applicants for planning permission in the UK found the process difficult. One survey, conducted by Everest, revealed 32% of applicants waited three months for approval, whilst a quarter of applicants faced with denial had applied in excess of three times.

In spite of these figures, historical government data shows a significant increase in the number of approved planning applications in recent years, jumping from an approval rate of 82 to 88%.

The ease of obtaining planning permission is hugely dependent on the quality of application, alongside the area for which the development is proposed. The best way to ensure the success of your planning application is to consult an experienced planning consultant, who will assist in the development and submission of an effective, comprehensive application.

Anyone can submit planning applications for development, irrespective of the property owner, so long as the owner, or part-owner, leaseholder, agricultural tenant, or other parties financially involved with the property is informed of any proposed changes. In addition to this, all planning applications must be submitted with a certificate relating to or proving land ownership, or, that the legal owner of the property has been notified of the proposed changes.

Though applications may be made by an individual, it is advisable to appoint a planning consultant, or similar agent to assist with composition and submission, in order to ensure the process is as smooth and fast as possible.

There are several different types of planning applications that you can submit. Here are some of the most popular types of planning applications, most of which can be submitted online:

• Householder planning consent for alterations or extensions of your house.
• Full planning consent to carry out certain changes of use, or operations to land or buildings.
• Outline planning consent when you’d like the council to consider the principle of a proposal before preparing detailed drawings for matters such as siting, design, external appearance, means of access and landscaping, which will eventually require granted reserved matters application.
• Reserved matters to get approval of any matters not considered under an outline planning application, once the detail of a proposal is available. This requires a granted outline planning permission before consideration of reserved matters.
• Non-material amendment following a grant of planning permission for further amendments on an approved planning application.
• Application for removal or variation of planning conditions.
• Listed building and conservation area consent to alter a listed building or demolish buildings, walls or other means of enclosure in a conservation area.
• Notice of intention for agricultural or forestry development.
• Advertisement consent for certain types of advertisements.
• Lawfulness development certificate for developments that do not have the necessary planning permission.

The vast majority of planning applications require the submission of the standard application form, a location plan, a site or block plan, an ownership certificate, an agricultural holdings certificate, and a correct application fee at minimum. A design and access statement may be required. In addition to this, at a local level, applicants may be required to submit further information specific to the area – this often varies in accordance with development type.  Local requirements may be found on the LPA’s website.

In addition to the submission of documentation, an application fee must be paid. This fee is also dependent on the type of development proposed but may be calculated using the Planning Portal’s fee calculator.

Planning fees in England are set nationally by the government and are detailed in the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012, as amended. Over the years there have been changes and increases introduced to this document in terms of pricing.

In general, the cost of submitting a planning application varies across the UK and based on the type of application. Currently, a full application for a single dwelling in England costs £462, while an extension application costs £206 (based on figures in June 2021).

When it comes to building new dwellings, the costs increase with the number of dwellings you are applying for. When considering submitting a planning application, it is recommended that you seek advice beforehand.
Depending on where you seek help from and how many consultations you go for, you should consider a cost of anywhere between £100 and £400 (based on figures in June 2021).