A good application is more than a form. It makes the case for your proposal clearly, answers the questions the council is going to ask, and arrives with everything it needs to be validated first time.
We prepare and manage planning applications for landowners, developers and homeowners, working with your architect or bringing in specialists where you need them.
Applications we can help with
- Full planning permission
- Outline planning permission, to establish the principle of development
- Householder applications: extensions, outbuildings and alterations
- Change of use
- Prior approval, such as converting agricultural buildings to homes
- Certificates of lawfulness for existing or proposed uses and developments
- Variation of conditions, minor amendments and the discharge of conditions
What we do
- Decide the right type of application and the best route for the site
- Work out which plans, reports and surveys are needed, and coordinate them
- Write the planning statement, complete the forms and submit through the Planning Portal
- Deal with the council: validation, case officer questions and consultee comments
- Negotiate conditions and, where needed, planning obligations
- Keep you informed at each stage in plain English
How an application runs
Scope
We agree the type of application, the documents needed and who will produce them.
Prepare
Drawings, reports and the planning statement are prepared and checked against the council’s validation requirements.
Submit
We submit through the Planning Portal. The council checks that the application is complete, then registers it.
Consultation
The council consults neighbours and technical consultees such as highways, ecology and flood risk. We respond to comments and objections where needed.
Decision
Smaller applications are usually decided by officers. Larger or more contentious ones may go to a planning committee. Conditions and obligations are settled at this stage.
After permission
Many permissions come with conditions that must be discharged before work begins. We can help with those too.
Worth knowing
The statutory targets for a decision are 8 weeks for most applications, 13 weeks for major development and 16 weeks where an environmental impact assessment is needed. Councils often agree extensions, so treat these as targets, not promises.
Broadly, ten or more homes, or a site of half a hectare or more where the number of homes is not yet known, counts as major development.
Most new development now has to deliver a 10% biodiversity net gain, with some exemptions (householder applications, for example). The rules for smaller sites have been under review, so we check the current position for each project.
The council’s application fee is set nationally and is paid in addition to our fees. The cost of drawings and reports comes on top. We set all of this out in writing before you commit.
Common questions
Do I need an architect?
For anything beyond very simple proposals you need drawings prepared by someone competent to do so, often an architect or architectural technologist. If you already have one, we work with them. If not, we can help you find one.
What if the council refuses?
A refusal is not always the end. We review the reasons and give you a frank view on whether to revise and resubmit, appeal or step back. See planning appeals.
How much will it cost?
It depends on the type and size of the application. We give you a written fee quote before work begins, and we tell you separately about the council’s fee and any specialist reports, so you can see the full picture.
This page is general information, not legal or professional advice on your site. Planning policy and rules change, so we check the current position for every project.