Submit a planning application

You can use the planning portal to:

• find out if you need planning permission
• find out the type of planning permission you need
• start a planning application
• view your planning application(s)
• submit a planning application
• pay the appropriate fees

Before you start you should:

• ensure you have all of the information needed to support your application
• certain projects may also require building regulations approval (building control)
• there is usually a charge for planning applications, the cost will depend on the type of application
• for online applications, there is an additional service charge, except for those which do not attract a planning application fee
• fees are payable at the time of submission

What happens next

After you have submitted your application:

• we will acknowledge your application within a few days
• we will consult with others and assess your application against local plan policies and guidance
• we check whether we have all the information we need, read how we do this
• once the application has been checked, registered, allocated to a planning officer and scanned, the details and plans are published on our Public Access website
• we will consult with neighbours, the Environment Agency and the local parish council
• we may prepare site notices and press notices to inform interested parties
• we consult with our colleagues in conservation, highways and listed buildings
• members of the public can also comment on your application (we cannot reject your proposal simply because many people are against it)
• we will assess your application against local plan policies and supplement planning guidance documents and look at the planning history of the site (if any)
• we also look to see what account has been taken of our Statement of Community Involvement and the Building for life document
• in most cases a planning officer will visit the site to assess the impact of the proposed development
• we will also consider potential traffic problems, the effect on surrounding amenities and the impact the proposal may have on the appearance of the surrounding area
• a planning officer will make a decision on minor planning applications whilst  members of Council will consider applications for major developments or where we have received representation contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation  
• a decision will be made within 8 weeks (or 13 weeks for a major application) from the date a complete application is received, although we may ask to extend this period (for example many people could be affected by the proposal)
• if your application is not determined within 16 weeks, and you have not agreed an extension of time, you may be eligible for your fee to be repaid
• if a planning officer or members of Council are unable to make a decision (for example if it is contrary to planning policies), the application will be considered by a planning committee

Development control site inspection visits, planning committee agendas and reports can be viewed online. Large proposals or controversial applications may be ‘called in’ so that the Secretary of State can decide them. If the application is not ‘called in’ a decision is made based on the planning officer’s original recommendation.