We have changed our approach to site visits for both planning applications and for pre-application.
We will continue to do site visits, to assess the planning issues, if needed. However, the process is quicker if the assessment can be made using a desk-based approach. We will therefore continue to ask both applicants and agents to send us photographs of proposed development sites. This helps us assess the impacts of the proposal without needing a site visit.
Our advice can help you to:
We can also help you work out if you need special input, such as with:
If your application is in a sensitive location the planning officers will need the input of other colleagues, for example in relation to trees or conservation assets, to provide meaningful advice. If this is the case you will be invited to pay for additional officer input. Please be aware that if you choose not to engage with these officers our response will need to be heavily caveated.
Please note that once the formal response has been provided to a request for pre-application advice, additional charges will apply for any further follow-up advice. These charges are set out below, follow up advice for any pre application type table. Planning officers will not be able to enter into correspondence to provide additional advice, or discuss further the advice they have provided, unless this is through an agreed "follow up advice" request, with payment of the associated charge.
There are different types of pre application advice available for different pre application types. The different types are based on the size of the application from simpler single household applications up to major applications covering many dwellings or several hectares (ha) or square meters (sqm):
Other types of householder advice:
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £160 (includes £26.67 VAT) | £240 (includes £40 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1 hour duration | £320 (includes £53.33 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1 hour duration |
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £400 (includes £66.67 VAT) | £520 (includes £86.67 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1.5 hour duration | £600 (includes £100 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1.5 hour duration |
Advice for developments with 10 to 25 dwellings less than 0.5ha site area or buildings with a floor space less than 1000 sqm.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £600 (includes £100 VAT) | £800 (includes £133.33 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration | £900 (includes £150 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration |
Advice for developments with 26 to 49 dwellings or site area between 0.5 and 4.99ha or building floor space 1000sqm to 9999sqm.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £900 (includes £150 VAT) | £1100 (includes £183.33 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration | £1200 (includes £200 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration |
Advice for developments with over 50 dwellings site area 5ha or more or building floorspace 10,000 sqm or more or development requiring EIA development.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £1200 (includes £200 VAT) | £1500 (includes £250 VAT) and one meeting of up to 3 hour duration | £1600 (includes £266.67 VAT) and one meeting of up to 3 hour duration |
Advice for developments with a site area up 0.49ha and building floor space up to 999sqm.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £600 (includes £100 VAT) | £800 (includes £133.33 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration | £900 (includes £150 VAT) and one meeting of up to 2 hour duration |
Advice for developments with a site area 0.5ha or more or building floor space of 1000sqm or more or exploration/appraisal and production of hydrocarbons or development requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £1200 (includes £200 VAT) | £1800 (includes £300 VAT) and one meeting of up to 3 hour duration | £1900 (includes £316.67 VAT) and one meeting of up to 3 hour duration |
£100 (includes £16.67 VAT) per hour or part thereof. This hourly charge will apply for time spent preparing for, and following up from the meeting, as well as time spent in the meeting itself.
| Advice type: | Written advice | Office meeting including a write up of the discussion | Site based meeting including a write up of the discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £160 (includes £26.67 VAT) | £240 (includes £40 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1 hour duration | £320 (includes £53.33 VAT) and one meeting of up to 1 hour duration |
For minerals and waste proposals, please contact the minerals and waste team.
We are subject to requirements under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). If we receive a request to disclose any information in relation to a pre-application discussion prior to the submission of a related planning application, we will make reasonable efforts to notify and consult with you concerning its possible release. However the final decision on whether the information should be withheld rests with the council. The council maintains compliance to the Data Protection Act. We will not release any personal information to third parties.
Please be aware that any pre-application advice given is likely to be made publicly available as part of the online documents once we receive a related application, subject to commercial confidentiality rules.
See our contact details, including our response times and the areas we cover.
