Pre-application advice

Pre-Application advice from 4^th April 2011

As part of our continual programme of improvement, we are now offering an enhanced Pre-Application advice service.

This revised service will assist you in clearly understanding and addressing any issues which may arise with regard to any proposal you have for development, before you submit an application to us.

This will enable you to submit a more complete application to us and aid the smooth processing of your application.

How to use this service

Please download and complete a Pre-Application Enquiry form and send it to us, ensuring that you provide the required information set out on the form.

If you do not provide all required information, your enquiry will be returned to you.

To avoid confusion, we are unable to provide Pre-Application advice over the telephone.

Scale of charges and exemptions

This service will continue to be provided FREE to householders seeking advice regarding works to an existing dwelling or ancillary to it. There will however be a charge for new housing and larger scale developments.

The Pre-Application Scale of Charges and exemptions is available to download from the right of this page.

How to pay

You can pay for this service by Cash, Cheque or by telephone using your Credit/Debit card (please call us on 01993 861420 to use this method).

A 1.35% administration charge will be added for any payments made using a credit card or non UK Debit Card. The exact amount you will be charged will be advised before you confirm your payment. This charge does not apply when paying a Fixed Penalty Charge (Parking Fine). There is no charge for payments made by UK Debit Card.

What to expect

We recognise that a quick answer may be important to you, but it is essential that our advice is as accurate and complete as possible. Depending on what type of Pre-Application advice you have requested, we will provide a full written response within 15 working days following receipt of all the relevant information, or, we will contact you within 15 working days following receipt of all the relevant information to arrange a meeting with you and we will agree a timescale for a full written response at the meeting.

Is the advice binding upon the Council?

Whilst we always try to give accurate advice you should be aware that planning applications are subject to extensive consultation and publicity which cannot be carried out before the formal application is submitted.

Therefore the pre-application advice given is as comprehensive as possible, but informal and cannot commit the Council to a particular decision on any subsequent planning application.