Development Control

Building Control

What we do:

Building control aims to protect you, your family and the general public from poorly constructed or unsafe buildings. We do this by making sure that any new building work or alterations to buildings or the use of buildings complies with the Building Act 1984 and associated Building Regulations. We also inspect structures that are thought to be dangerous.

We offer free advice to help designers and local residents deliver successful building schemes.

Our building surveyors work with designers to make sure that proposed work takes into account energy conservation and provides reasonable access for everyone. We are keen to help with any project, whether routine or complex, and welcome the chance to talk to you about your plans at an early stage.

If you are making changes to the structure or use of a building you may need the approval of our building control officers before work starts.

We will:

  • If requested, send forms to you by the next working day. You can also download forms from our website at www.scambs.gov.uk
  • Assess your proposed development and give you impartial advice, if necessary, before you send in your formal building control application
  • Inspect the work at various stages and issue a completion certificate once work is satisfactorily completed
  • Aim to register and acknowledge your application within five working days
  • Issue your completion certificate within two working days of the final work being carried out
  • Carry out your site inspections on the day you ask for them, if requested before 10.00am
  • Issue full planning decisions within the relevant timescale - between five to eight weeks after we receive your application
  • Give immediate priority to dangerous buildings


Development control

What we do - planning applications

You may need planning permission before you erect a new building, if you want to extend an existing building or if you plan to change the way a building or land is used. If you think you might need to apply for planning permission, please contact our development services team for advice.

We will:

  • If requested, send forms in the post to you by the next working day. You can also download forms from our website at www.scambs.gov.uk
  • Help you to complete forms
  • Acknowledge your planning application within five working days
  • Put your application on the planning register so it can be inspected by any interested member of the public
  • Allow 21 days for third parties to comment on applications, and a further 14 days for comments on any changes to an application
  • Let your neighbours know about your application
  • In some cases we will put up a notice on or near the site and advertise the application in a local newspaper
  • Consult other organisations such as the Highway Authority, English Nature, Environmental Agency and parish councils
  • Either give a senior officer responsibility for deciding your application or prepare a report for the Development Control and Conservation Committee

  • Hold, and allow you to see, a copy of any reports sent to our Development Control and Conservation Committee and background papers used to prepare the report. These will normally be available at least five working days before a committee meeting

 

Planning considerations

We will:

  • Hold and let you see the County Structure Plan and District Local Plan. The Local Plan is also available on the council's website at www.scambs.gov.uk. There may also be an associated design guide for your area.

Notification - how long will council decisions take?

We will:

  • Aim to decide the majority of applications within eight weeks, unless they are major developments
  • Issue a decision notice within two working days of a formal decision
  • Advise any third parties who have commented on your application within a further ten working days
  • Ask for your written consent to extend this period if we are unable to meet these deadlines
  • Give reasons for our decisions if planning permission is refused or conditions are imposed
  • If your application is refused, you can send in one set of modified plans free of charge within 12 months of the decision on your first application. If you send in any more changes there will be a charge
  • Advise you of your rights to appeal to the Secretary of State

Enforcement action

What we do:

Unauthorised development not only covers new buildings, but also changes of use, advertisements or work to listed buildings. If you suspect that an unauthorised development has taken place, please let us know.

We will investigate your complaint and report back on what we find. We also promise strict confidence in our dealings with you and the information you provide. We will report back to you within ten working days.

We will:

  • Investigate and assess all reports within 15 working days. In serious cases we will investigate immediately
  • A first site visit will normally take place within three working days of your report. Where a full investigation is necessary, cases will be dealt with as follows:
 
PriorityInvestigate and AssessType of breach
HighImmediate-normally the same dayWork which is irreversible or irreplaceable (e.g. damage to or loss of listed buildings and protected trees or highways issues that could endanger life)
NormalWithin ten working days of the first site visitActivities that cause harm (e.g. adverse effects on residential amenity and conservation areas or breaches of conditions)
LowWithin 15 working days of the first site visitDevelopment which may cause some harm but could be made acceptable by adding conditions (e.g. control on hours of use or parking)
  • Acknowledge reports of planning control breaches within two working days. We will give you details of your case officer and how to contact them
  • Make a first site visit to confirm the nature and extent of the complaint. We aim to assess if a breach of planning control has happened within 15 working days of the first site visit
  • Decide what formal action is needed within 28 working days of the first site visit. We will advise you of any action we intend to take and why
  • Take enforcement action with regard to the law, our adopted policies and other planning considerations. In some instances a planning application may be invited so that development is regularised. Where permission is likely to be refused, we will negotiate to stop or remedy the harmful effects of the development. However, we will take formal action, where this cannot be quickly achieved
  • Report on our performance in our Best Value Performance Plan every April, and publish our performance improvement targets

Travellers

What we do:

This service forms part of the council's wider approach to Traveller issues, which is based on: strengthening community relations, enforcing planning controls fairly and consistently; contributing to the regional response to meet future Traveller housing needs and lobbying the Government for equitable national policies which uphold the interests of both householders and Travellers. More details of the council's commitment to addressing Traveller issues can be found on our website. Please also see the customer service standards in our community services leaflet.

Help us to help you

  • We welcome your involvement to help us identify breaches of planning control
  • When you are reporting a case it helps us if you put your complaint in writing. Please give us as much information as you can (e.g. the exact address, when activities started, names, addresses and telephone numbers of owners, occupiers etc). This helps us to respond quickly and efficiently
  • On rare occasions it may be necessary for you to give evidence at hearings or inquiries to support our action. You may also be asked to monitor activities to strengthen a case. This may include keeping a diary, taking photographs or any other appropriate evidence

Land charges/legislation

What we do:

  • Carry out official local land searches linked to property purchases

We will:

  • Log your request on the day we receive it
  • Carry out enquiries for you with other agencies and council departments
  • Complete your request and get back to you within ten working days

Help us to help you:

  • Requests should be sent in on official forms LCC1 and CON29
  • Please make sure you include the correct payment

Planning land charges service

What we do:

  • Keep records for work with development control, planning policy and the local land charges section about properties and land in South Cambridgeshire

We will:

  • Respond quickly to search requests from the land charges section
  • Process applications for local land charges searches efficiently and accurately

 

Listed buildings and conservation areas

What we do:

Approximately 3000 buildings in South Cambridgeshire are listed buildings because of their special architectural or historic interest. There are also 84 conservation areas with a unique historic character or appearance. We provide advice and guidance on development and repair work affecting listed buildings and conservation areas. We also provide advice on archaeological sites and scheduled ancient monuments.

We aim to help the preservation and enhancement of South Cambridgeshire's built and natural heritage of historic buildings and settlements; archaeological sites, ecological and wildlife areas, trees and woodlands and designed and rural landscapes.

You may well need planning or listed building consent before you carry out any improvements or repair work on a listed property or in a conservation area. We strongly advise you speak to us before you commit yourself to any work.

We can also advise you about grants that are available from local and national schemes.

We will:

  • Offer guidance on listed building regulations and conservation area restrictions
  • Advise you on grants and how to apply for them
  • Aim to give you a decision on your listed building consent application within eight weeks

Planning policy

What we do:

Maintain up-to-date policies for development and the environment. Policies are included in the Local Development Framework which is made up of plans for the district's villages and countryside as well as the new town of Northstowe and the expansion of Cambridge City.

We help to shape Government and county council transport plans in South Cambridgeshire, reducing congestion and pollution and promoting the use of more environmentally friendly transport.

  • Support local economic development in the national and local interest through strategies and advice
  • Use consultation to develop a plan framework that balances the economic, social and environmental needs of South Cambridgeshire
  • Promote tourism in partnership with the Cambridge tourist information office

We will:

  • Have copies of our planning policies available to look at or buy from our Cambourne offices.
  • Give you the opportunity to have your say as we prepare plans, either in person, in writing or on our website.
  • Publish dates of any consultation periods in local newspapers and publications
  • Prepare the Development Plan, the Local Transport Plan and deal with external consultations within the necessary timescales
  • Report on our performance in our Best Value Performance Plan every April

The housing strategy and development team is responsible for our housing strategy. They research current and future housing need, market conditions and other related issues. They also work in partnership with developers, housing associations, government agencies and others to help develop affordable housing in South Cambridgeshire and the surrounding area.

Help us to help you

  • Please provide any documentation as quickly as possible
  • Remember to quote reference numbers whenever possible
  • Ask for help or advice if there's anything you don't understand

Feedback

We constantly work to improve our services for you

  • If you have a bright idea about how we can improve things, we'd like to hear from you
  • If you're happy with the service you have received, please let us know and we'll pass on your compliments to our staff
  • If you have a complaint, we need to know so that we can take action to put things right. For more information on our compliments and/or complaints procedures, please ask for our leaflet.

Alternatively, you can download our Customer Service Standards- Development Control leaflet .