The first steps in the process of obtaining planning permission start with an on-site discussion to listen to your ideas and set out the options.
These include:
A Pre-Application enquiry: useful when there are issues to resolve before we begin preparing plans – this can be a low cost method of obtaining the planning authority’s views on the prospect of getting planning, before you are committed to detailed plans. It is necessary to prepare a site location plan and an indication of the extent of the application, its content, access and a rough idea of scale. Once submitted there is usually three weeks or more to wait while a planning officer visits the site and writes back outlining his or her opinion of the chances of obtaining permission. This is an officer’s view, not that of the Council, but without officer’s support, a subsequent application may well be turned down.
We may then prepare an outline application, giving site location, access details and indications of various aspects of the design. Outline approval can be useful for clients seeking to obtain an approval in principle, with a detailed application to follow once the concept of development is established. The permission granted will require a further submission of detailed plans to overcome the conditions on which the outline application is based. These are usually details of elevations, fenestration, materials etc.
Detailed application: We recommend applying for this in projects where we know planning permission is very likely to be granted. This includes schemes where there are no matters of principle to decide and where the access and scale of development – say an extension – is not in danger of overlooking or overshadowing neighbouring properties or other issues likely to offend neighbours or the planning laws. Plans submitted in a detailed application will feature existing and proposed plans, elevations, roof plan, site plan, block plan and details of materials. We will often add three dimensional artwork and sections through the adjoining land to support the proposal.
Once planning permission is granted, you will almost certainly need to apply for Building Regulations approval. This means adding to the plans all the technical information needed by the builder to construct the works according to the building regulations to ensure you have the right structural specification, insulation levels and materials to meet all current legislation.
