House Planning

The Cost

The cost of submitting a planning application varies across the UK but is currently £578 for a full application for a new single dwelling in England. For home improvements, an application in England currently costs £258, whereas in Wales the cost of a typical householder application is currently £230. In addition, a service charge applies to planning applications submitted through the Planning Portal for all applications with fees above £60.

​

However, the bulk of the cost of obtaining planning permission comes in preparing the plans and documents (the design fees) in readiness for submission and any accompanying surveys (such as ecological surveys) which may be required. Also bear in mind that you may need to make more than one planning application in order to reach agreement with the council and make revisions to your plans accordingly, which may involve further designer fees.

​

Expiration Date

All planning permissions expire after a certain period. Applicants are typically allowed to start building at any time within three years from the date of consent.

​

What is included in a planning application

In general terms, your application should include:

• Five copies of application forms

• The signed ownership certificate

• Site plan, block plan, floor plans and elevations of both the existing and proposed sites

• Design and Access Statement

• Community Infrastructure Levy form

• The correct fee

​

As applications are usually submitted through the online Planning Portal, the application forms and ownership certificate are automatically generated. Different types of planning applications may require more documents in addition to the listed above.

​

The Design and Access statement is used to justify a proposal’s design concept and the access to it. While most dwelling house projects would not require such a statement, it has to accompany a planning application if the building works are within a protected area or to an existing listed building.

​

Factors that will affect the decision

The local authority will base its decision on the material considerations, which can include (but are not limited to):

​

• Overlooking/loss of privacy

• Loss of light or overshadowing

• Parking

• Highway safety

• Traffic

• Noise

• Impact on listed building and Conservation Area

• Layout and density of building

• Design, appearance and materials

• Government policy

• Disabled access

• Proposals in the development plan

• Previous planning decisions

• Nature conservation

Neighbours will be invited to comment, together with parish councils (in England and Wales), but only objections based on material considerations will be taken into account.

If the neighbours do not object and the officers recommend approval, they will usually grant planning permission for a householder application.

​

What if Someone Objects

People can be peculiar about changes that they fear will affect their home, their view or their property’s value – or even just the street they live on. Therefore, it pays to talk to the neighbours and to explain the scheme to them. If you can accommodate minor changes without undermining your goals, then it might be worth doing if it could help avoid objections.

If there are objections or the application is called into a committee by one of the local councillors, then the decision will be made by a majority vote by the local planning committee. At the planning meeting, you or your agent will be given an opportunity to address the planning committee.

​

Changes to the design once approved

You can make minor alterations by applying for a non-material amendment, or applying for a variation of conditions, specifically requesting for substituting the approved drawings with altered drawings. However, major alterations could involve a further application for full planning permission.

In England around 75% of applications are granted. If your application is rejected, you can either amend and resubmit having addressed the reasons for refusal, or you can make an appeal. In some cases, planning officers may come in contact with the applicant before making a final decision, to inform them of what changes will need to be introduced to a scheme and possibly allow them more time to implement the changes in order for the application to be granted.

​

Pre-application advice

Most local authorities can provide pre-application advice, which varies in format and cost from council to council: it may be in the form of a short meeting, a written advice, or for larger schemes – numerous consultations with different council professionals, i.e. planning officers, infrastructure engineers etc. For applicants looking to push the limits on a given site, it is always advisable that pre-application advice is sought in order to ensure there are no items that may result in a rejection. It should be noted, however, that following the pre-application advice does not automatically result in obtaining planning permission, as the application will be reviewed and decided independently.

​

Building without planning permission

It is unlawful to develop land without planning permission. If you have failed to get consent for your project, the local planning authority can take action to have the work demolished or altered, which can prove very costly. You can make a retrospective planning application and if this is refused you can appeal the decision.

If no enforcement action is taken within four years of completion, the development becomes immune from enforcement action (10 years for a change of use). The development then becomes lawful — but this is, in almost all cases, too great a risk to take.

​

Altering a listed building without prior permission is a criminal offence, and in some cases, it can lead to prosecution, unlimited fines and even imprisonment.

In any case, it is in everyone’s best interest that the proper lawful routes are followed when construction development is concerned.