Need to make a Planning Application?

It is possible to make changes after receiving planning permission and there are a number of options for this;

• Non-material amendments – for very minor changes that do not materially alter the size and scale of the development
• Minor material amendments – for less minor changes whose scale and nature results in a development which is not substantially different from the one which has been approved.
• Time limit extensions – to change the expiry date of a planning permission

For more information on whether you can amend a submitted planning application, visit the Planning Portal website.

The statutory determination period for validated planning applications, which local planning authorities should not exceed, is 8 weeks for straight-forward planning applications, 13 weeks for unusually large or complex applications, and 16 weeks if the application is subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Failure to determine the application within these deadlines means that the applicant can choose to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate on the grounds of non-determination.  Local planning authorities have to inform applicants of these rights.

See “Determining a planning application” on the government website which sets out the process and expectations on planning performance and decision making.

Rules governing outbuildings apply to summer houses, sheds, playhouses, greenhouses and garages as well as other ancillary garden buildings such as swimming pools, ponds, sauna cabins, kennels, enclosures (including tennis courts) and many other kinds of structure for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse.

If you are unsure if your planned building falls into the category of ‘outbuildings’ or if you are unsure if planning permission is required, please contact your local planning authority or a town planner.

Outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.
• Outbuildings and garages to be single-storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
• Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms (a platform must not exceed 0.3 metres in height)
• No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from the house to be limited to 10 square metres.

*The term “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.

Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:

• Flats and maisonettes (view our guidance on flats and maisonettes)
• Converted houses or houses created through the permitted development rights to change use (as detailed in our change of use section)
• Other buildings
• Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights.

Any plans for a conservatory will be subject to the associated neighbour consultation scheme. This requires that the relevant Local Planning Authority is informed of the proposed work via a prior approval application.

Adding a conservatory to your house is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the limits and conditions listed below.

• No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Single-storey rear extensions must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than eight metres if a detached house; or more than six metres for any other house. If the house is in Article 2(3) designated land* or a Site of Special Scientific Interest, this limit is reduced to four metres if a detached house; or three metres for any other house. These limits are now permanent and subject to the neighbour consultation scheme. This requires that the relevant Local Planning Authority is informed of the proposed work via a prior approval application.
• Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres
• Extensions of more than one storey must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than three metres or be within seven metres of any boundary opposite the rear wall of the house
• Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres
• Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house
• Side extensions to be single-storey with a maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms
• On Article 2(3) designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey
• On Article 2(3) designated land* no cladding of the exterior
• On Article 2(3) designated land* no side extensions.

* The term “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.

* Article 2(3) designated land is land within:

• a conservation area; or
• an area of outstanding natural beauty; or
• an area specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside; or
• the Broads; or
• a National Park; or
• a World Heritage Site.

Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:

• Flats and maisonettes
• Converted houses or houses created through the permitted development rights to change use
  • Other buildings
  • Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights
• Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required.

Please be aware that if your development is over 100 square metres, it may be liable for a charge under the Community Infrastructure Levy

By law, any planning permission granted expires after a certain period. Generally, unless your permission says otherwise, you have three years from the date it’s granted to begin the development. If you haven’t started work by then, you will probably need to reapply.

The vast majority of planning applications require the submission of the standard application form, a location plan, a site or block plan, an ownership certificate, an agricultural holdings certificate, and a correct application fee at minimum. A design and access statement may be required. In addition to this, at a local level, applicants may be required to submit further information specific to the area – this often varies in accordance with development type.  Local requirements may be found on the LPA’s website.

In addition to the submission of documentation, an application fee must be paid. This fee is also dependent on the type of development proposed but may be calculated using the Planning Portal’s fee calculator.

Planning fees in England are set nationally by the government and are detailed in the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012, as amended. Over the years there have been changes and increases introduced to this document in terms of pricing.

In general, the cost of submitting a planning application varies across the UK and based on the type of application. Currently, a full application for a single dwelling in England costs £462, while an extension application costs £206 (based on figures in June 2021).

When it comes to building new dwellings, the costs increase with the number of dwellings you are applying for. When considering submitting a planning application, it is recommended that you seek advice beforehand.
Depending on where you seek help from and how many consultations you go for, you should consider a cost of anywhere between £100 and £400 (based on figures in June 2021).

There are several different types of planning applications that you can submit. Here are some of the most popular types of planning applications, most of which can be submitted online:

• Householder planning consent for alterations or extensions of your house.
• Full planning consent to carry out certain changes of use, or operations to land or buildings.
• Outline planning consent when you’d like the council to consider the principle of a proposal before preparing detailed drawings for matters such as siting, design, external appearance, means of access and landscaping, which will eventually require granted reserved matters application.
• Reserved matters to get approval of any matters not considered under an outline planning application, once the detail of a proposal is available. This requires a granted outline planning permission before consideration of reserved matters.
• Non-material amendment following a grant of planning permission for further amendments on an approved planning application.
• Application for removal or variation of planning conditions.
• Listed building and conservation area consent to alter a listed building or demolish buildings, walls or other means of enclosure in a conservation area.
• Notice of intention for agricultural or forestry development.
• Advertisement consent for certain types of advertisements.
• Lawfulness development certificate for developments that do not have the necessary planning permission.

Planning applications must be submitted to your Local Planning Authority (LPA) to receive planning permission for any construction or demolition work you wish to do on your property or land you own. Some works are exempt, but most serious works will require planning permission, so you should always check beforehand.

Once the application is made, the planning department of your local authority will either grant permission (possibly subject to certain conditions) or reject your application. If you have any queries about the application process or regarding the decision you received, you should contact your local authority directly.

Most planning applications can be submitted online and the majority of them are subject to a fee, which varies depending on the type of application you are making and the scope of the project you are preparing the plans for.

Pre-application planning advice can prove to be an invaluable service for anyone looking to submit a planning application to their local planning authority. By seeking pre-application planning advice, you can ensure that you are using the correct planning form and submitting the correct drawings. Your town planning consultant will be able to give you an informal view of the likelihood of achieving your planning permission or steer you towards an alternative route that may achieve the desired results. Similarly, when seeking pre-application planning permission, some people discover that their project falls under ‘permitted development’ and that they don’t need to submit a planning application at all. Therefore, seeking pre-application planning advice is definitely worth it as it could potentially save you time and money.

Yes, you can obtain planning advice prior to the submission of a planning application. This is typically called pre-application advice and it can be obtained either directly from your local planning authority or an independent town planning consultant. Since planning laws and regulations can be confusing and complex, it is advisable to seek pre-application planning advice to make sure the application that you submit has got the highest chances of being accepted.

Working with a town planning consultant allows you to amend your application early on and optimise it according to professional advice, which ultimately increases the likelihood of it being accepted the first time around.

There is no statutory timeframe for pre-application advice. The amount of time it takes to hear back after seeking pre-application advice depends on the LPA you are seeking the advice from. Some local planning authority branches commit to responding to you within 28 days, others allow a longer timeframe. To feel secure in the pre-application advice process, it may help to have a town planning consultant by your side.

Having an expert offer you pre-application assistance means that you can receive all the planning advice you need, get your planning appraisal and feasibility study completed with a professional, and receive your pre-application statement. Once all of these are done correctly, your planning consultant will help you with the pre-application submission and will remain by your side to help during discussions with the LPA.