Understanding the Planning Permission Process
If you want to carry out development, you need planning permission. The department responsible for the approval of development is your Local Planning Authority (LPA). To obtain permission, you must submit an application to your LPA. Interestingly, not all developments require planning permission. Let’s explore the planning permission process.
Developments That Do Not Require Planning Permission
Typically, minor changes to residential buildings may not require planning permission. If you’re unsure whether your intended development needs permission, visit your LPA’s website for clarification. In this article, we will outline the steps involved in the planning application process.
Who Can Apply?
You can apply for planning permission yourself, or you can appoint a planning consultant, architect, or surveyor to do it for you. This is advisable because detailed plans are required for the application, and a professional is best suited for this task.
You can also apply for planning permission for land you do not yet own. However, it’s recommended that you establish an agreement with the landowner to purchase or lease the land before applying to prevent others from using the planning permission you have worked to obtain.
When filling out a planning application form, you will need to sign different certificates depending on land ownership:
- Certificate A: If you are the sole owner of the land.
- Certificate B: If you are not the landowner but know all the owners.
- Certificate C: If you know some, but not all, of the landowners.
- Certificate D: If you do not know any of the landowners.
How to Apply
To apply, you need to fill out the planning permission application form, which you can obtain from the LPA website. Applications are submitted electronically through the Planning Portal or the LPA’s website. After submitting your application, your LPA must determine if it contains all the necessary plans and documents for evaluation.
Once your application is certified as valid, the local authority will send you or your representative a formal acknowledgement, including a reference number for your application.
It typically takes at least eight weeks for your local authority to grant or reject your application. For major applications, this process may take 13 to 16 weeks.
After applying, the local authority will inform the public by advertising in newspapers, notifying neighbours, and placing a notice at the site. Before making a decision, the LPA needs to consult various agencies and bodies, such as the Highways Agency and the Parish Council.
What Are The Planning Conditions?
If your planning permission application is granted, it will often come with conditions. Common conditions may require you to commence work within a specified timeframe. All conditions imposed by your local authority must be justified concerning their relevance to planning and development.
What to Do If Your Application Is Rejected
If your application is disapproved, it is often because the proposal does not comply with planning policies. Your local authority will issue a refusal notice stating the valid reasons for the rejection and how it conflicts with planning policies. In this case, you can modify your application and resubmit it.
If you resubmit your modified application within 12 months of the previous decision, you will not need to pay another application fee. However, if you wish to appeal the decision, you can do so within six months of the initial decision. The Planning Inspectorate handles such cases.
Conclusion
The process of applying for planning permission can be lengthy. However, with this article as a guide, you can better understand the application process and how to navigate any potential challenges.
