How we process planning applications
We aim to make decisions on minor planning applications within 8 weeks and on major applications within 13 weeks.
There are 5 main steps in our process for deciding on planning applications.
Validation
When we receive your application, we will check to make sure we have the right information and plans. We will also check that we have the right fee.
Consultation
We will display notices on the site and in a local newspaper to let people know about your proposals. We will also usually write directly to the people we think will we be most affected by your proposal, such as those who live in properties or own businesses nearby.
Your application will be available on our public access site while we are considering it.
Redacting information
To protect your privacy, we will redact the following information from planning documents before publishing them on our public access system:
- applicant contact details
- applicant signature
- agent signature
- name of neighbours consulted
- any other information that could be considered sensitive
Assessment
As part of our assessment process we will:
- arrange a site visit
- consider the impact your proposal may have on neighbouring properties and the surrounding area
- review any comments that we receive during the consultation process
- look at your proposals in the context of relevant Council and government planning policies
Recommendation
We will produce a report to recommend whether planning permission should be granted or not. Most decisions are made by one of our planning officers, although some decisions are passed onto our planning committee.
Sometimes we might have to ask you to make changes to your proposed development to make it acceptable. If you need to make changes to your proposal, we may also need to ask the public for their comments a second time.
If your application is refused
If your application is refused, you can correct the issues and resubmit your proposal for free if your new application is of the same scale and nature and is sent within 12 months after your refusal.
You can also appeal against the Council's decision to the planning inspectorate.
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