Get advice on your application
We are able to offer advice on your application before you submit it. This can help to identify issues with your application or when you might need to get specialist advice. It can help us to make a decision more quickly once you submit an application.
If you choose not to seek our advice before submitting an application, or choose not to take the advice given, your application may be refused without further negotiation.
To avoid confusion we do not provide pre-application advice over the telephone.
How to apply
Complete the pre-application advice form and return to us with any supporting information you think might be relevant.
Within 20 working days of receiving all the relevant information we aim to:
- provide a full written response
- arrange a meeting if necessary and agree a timescale for a full written response
Charges for advice
There is no charge for householders asking for advice about their existing property in the district
We charge for advice for new houses and major developments. A summary of fees are available in the table, full fees are available in the application form.
| Type of advice | Written advice | Meeting and written advice |
|---|---|---|
| Householder enquiry: works to an existing dwelling or works ancillary to it | Free | n/a |
| New Build 1 to 2 dwellings, or area <0.5ha (outline application), or floor space <500m². Change of Use of Land or Buildings |
£174 + VAT | £349 + VAT |
| New Build 3 to 14 dwellings or area 0.5ha to 0.99ha. Floor Space<500-999m² | £349 + VAT | £698 + VAT |
| New Build 15 to 100 dwellings or area 1.0ha to 3.0ha (outline application) or floor space – 1000m² to 2999m² | £698 + VAT | 1395 + VAT |
| New build more than 100 Dwellings or 3.0ha (outline application) or 3000m² floor space | £1395 + VAT | £2793 + VAT |
We don't charge for the following advice:
- permitted development
- householder development
- Conservation Area consent
- Listed Building consent
- protected tree issues
- enforcement issues
- to Town and Parish Councils
- to other local authorities and County Councils
- to Registered Social Landlords
- development that directly benefits a disabled person
- small businesses (applies to applicants, not the agent, eligible to receive the full benefit of small business rate relief)
- existing places of worship
Freedom of information statement
We may get Freedom of Information or Environmental Information regulations requests about pre-application advice that we have provided. We may have to provide some or all of the information, unless there is a valid reason not (if an exemption exists). Personal information is protected by the Data Protection Act.
The reasons for not providing information on pre-application advice might include commercial sensitivity and confidentiality. If this is the case, you must let us know in writing at the beginning, why and for how long the information is commercially sensitive or confidential. We will consider your arguments, along with the information request, the information we hold, and the legislation, and make the final decision if the information is exempt or not.
We may also exempt internal documents and communications or incomplete documents if we consider they may harm our ability to deliver the service effectively. For example, at the beginning of the major application process, there will be exploratory discussion, which if disclosed, may affect any subsequent planning application.