Making a planning application
There are currently delays in determining planning applications. See Planning updates for details.
If your project requires a planning application, we strongly recommend hiring a professional planning consultant to advise you and complete all the necessary plans needed to make a valid application. We also offer a pre-application advice service, which can help ensure you make your application correctly.
What to do before applying
To apply for planning permission you’ll need to prepare all necessary plans and drawings for your work, which will depend on the type of project, and submit these to us along with an application form.
Typical requirements might include:
- a site plan – shows the exact location of the proposed development site
- a block plan – a more detailed plan showing how your site relates to neighbouring properties. Needed for extensions, boundary wall and fence changes, garages and outbuildings
- a floor plan – a scale diagram of current and proposed changes. Needed for extensions, garages and outbuildings
- an elevation plan – needed for extensions, new or replacement windows, boundary walls and fences, outbuildings and garages
You can use our checklist of ‘validation requirements’ to see exactly what you need to submit for each type of project.
Copyright
Before submitting plans or documents to us, you must make sure you hold the copyright. Please note, we will display any submitted plans and documents in public.
If you are commenting on an application, you may only download or print plans for consultation purposes. This is to allow you to:
- compare current applications with previous schemes
- check whether developments have been completed under approved plans
You must not make further copies without the permission of the copyright owner.
Application costs
When you submit a planning application you will need to pay the necessary fee, which depends on the type of work to be carried out.
Making your application
You can make your application online using the Planning Portal or download and paper forms to print out and post from their website.
Ownership certificates
In most cases, you will complete an ownership certificate as you fill in your application form:
- if you’re the owner of the site, you’ll need certificate a
- if you’re not the owner but you know who is, you’ll need certificate b
- if you’re not the owner but know some of them, you’ll need certificate c
- if you’re not the owner and don’t know who is, you’ll need certificate d
Amendments to applications
Before making an application, it is important to note that we operate a no amendments policy on applications that do not have a Planning Performance Agreement in place.
See Members' decision on Review of the Planning Performance Agreement Protocol.
This means that changes to your scheme in order to overcome any objections that arise during the assessment process will not routinely be considered. This does not mean that additional supporting information will not be requested or cannot be submitted where a statutory consultee has required this (for example, the Highways authority could request additional data regarding parking provision on a scheme) as such matters of clarification do not amend the scheme proposed.
Applicants are currently entitled to withdraw and resubmit an application for a site without incurring an additional planning fee, where the same applicant applies:
- for the same development proposal
- under the same application type
- on the same site
- within 12 months of the original application
Contact the planning applications team
Phone lines open from 10:00 - 12:00