Do I Need Planning Permission?

The Planning Portal features a guide to planning permission (see Related Pages), including advice on:

 

 

The Planning Portal also features a fees calculator to help you work out how much your planning application will cost.

You can apply for a Proposed Lawful Development Certificate if you wish the Council to formally confirm that planning permission would not be required for the works that you propose.  It is no longer possible to provide a written response to enquiries unless these are submitted as a Proposed Lawful Development Certificate application. 

 

The application fee for these applications is half the normal planning application fee. For example the fee for a householder PLDC application would be £75.00.  You can download the form from our Application Form Directory, found on the 'How to Apply' page.

The Government wants to give as much freedom as possible for people to extend their homes, such as building extensions and loft conversions, particularly given current pressures in the housing market.

 

A public consultation in 2007 looked at ways of reducing bureaucracy for householders seeking to improve their homes while protecting the interests of neighbours, the wider community and the environment.

 

While the overall aim is to relax the planning regime, the review proposals would also introduce a need for planning applications for householder developments with potential adverse impacts, which are currently allowed.

 

The Government intends to bring forward legislation to make these changes on 1 October 2008.

 

We recommend that you apply for a Lawful Development Certificate in order for us to determine if planning permission would be required.