Planning applications and Decision notices

The Council receives some 2500 planning applications each year. Applications may be for building and engineering works, changes of use of a building or land, display of advertisements, alterations to Listed Buildings, and demolition of buildings in Conservation Areas.

Internal alterations to a building and certain minor works, including small extensions to houses, can be carried out without planning permission, however advice should be sought from the Development Services team.

Types of Planning Application

Applications may be made in outline or in detailed form.

  • An outline application is intended to establish the principle of whether a building or development would be acceptable.
  • A detailed application involves the submission of all details, including design.

Outline Planning Permission is granted subject to reserved matters. Reserved matters can be:

  • Layout, scale, appearance, access and landscaping

As a minimum, outline applications should always include information on:

  • Use - the use or uses proposed for the development and any distinct development zones within the site identified.
  • Amount of development - the amount of development proposed for each use.
  • Indicative layout - an indicative layout with separate development zones proposed within the site boundary where appropriate.
  • Scale parameters - an indication of the upper and lower limits for height, width and length of each building within the site boundary.
  • Indicative access points - an area or areas in which the access point or points to the site will be situated.

Please note, as of 6th April a Standard Planning Application Form (1APP) is being introduced across England. It replaces all existing types of planning application forms, except for mineral workings.

Once adopted, the 1APP system places additional requirements upon the nature of information that is required to be submitted with all types of applications. Guidance as to what information will now be required with each application is available with the downloadable Planning Application forms.

Processing the Application

Each application has to be legally valid, contain clear plans and be accompanied by the correct fee.

All applications are logged in the Planning Register, which is available for public inspection at the District Council's HQ. Parish Councils, neighbours and other relevant organisations are consulted on applications. Site and Press Notices may also be displayed or published.

A planning officer will inspect the site. From the examination of the site, site history, relevant policies and the results of consultations, a recommendation is made.

The majority of planning applications take less than eight weeks to process but the more complicated may take up to 13 weeks or more in a minority of cases.

The Decision

The Decision will either be made by Planning Committee, which comprises a body of elected Councillors, or by the Corporate Manager for Planning and Sustainable Communities and his senior officers, under powers delegated to them through the Council's adopted protocols.

The application will either be approved, with or without conditions, or refused. A written notice of the decision is sent to the applicant and this includes notes on the right to appeal.

Planning Appeals

An applicant may appeal against a refusal of planning permission, a condition of any approval or if a decision has not been made within a specified timescale (normally 8 weeks). An appeal may be considered by a Government Inspector at a public inquiry, informal hearing or by written representations. Visit the Appeals page for more information of the process.

Enforcement

Development undertaken without the necessary permission can result in the Council serving an Enforcement Notice. This is a discretionary power where negotiation to achieve an acceptable solution has failed. A notice is not effective until any appeal lodged against it has been determined. Failure to comply with a notice is an offence.

There are also, other powers available to the Council to remedy unauthorised and unacceptable development.

Visit the enforcement section for more information.

Organisation

Planning applications and related work are distributed between four area teams, each led by an Area Planning Officer. These areas are defined on the map of the District planning areas.