Pre-application planning advice and charges

Types of advice

We offer 2 types of pre-application advice:

  • Standard advice
  • Bespoke advice - a faster or more personalised response

Standard advice

If you're submitting a request for standard pre-application advice, you must provide sufficient information. This is to allow us to properly assess your proposal and for us to provide a substantive response.

In return we will provide you with the following:

  1. Within 10 working days of receiving your request and payment, we'll acknowledge receipt of your request, inform you of the name of the planning officer dealing with your request and advise you of any additional information required.
  2. Within 6 weeks of receiving your request and payment, the planning officer will provide you with written advice or if a meeting is applicable will carry out an unaccompanied site visit and contact you to arrange a meeting. They will also, carry out relevant consultations if required.
  3. If a meeting is applicable, the planning officer will coordinate attendance from other specialists if required and discuss the details of the proposed development.
  4. Within 15 working days of the meeting the planning officer will provide written advice to include:
    • Identification of key planning policies and constraints that may affect the proposed development.
    • A broad assessment of whether the principle of the proposed development and its detailed layout or design is acceptable or not.
    • An indication of factors that require further investigation or could lead to the development being refused planning permission.
    • An indication of matters which may need to be addressed by a Section 106 legal agreement and/or planning conditions.
    • Validation requirements for any future planning application.
    • Any recommendations relating to pre-application community involvement.

Bespoke advice

You can request our bespoke pre-application service if:

  • You need fast advice - for example, to meet a bid or funding deadline.
  • You want advice specific and detailed to your individual circumstances.
  • You'd like a more senior officer or officers from another service to attend your meetings.
  • You'd like advice relating to more than one proposed development.

Contact us using the details on this page for an individual quote for bespoke advice.