Introduction
Listed below is a general overview of the planning application process, including details and advice on the main stages. The Application Process Overview (14kb, PDF) is available as a document providing a flowchart of the main stages of the planning application process.
Types of Planning Application
Full:
A full planning application requires the submission of all details of the proposal, usually including full floor plans and elevations. This is the most appropriate form of application for householder extensions or where you wish to change the use of land or buildings.
Outline:
This type of application should be made where you wish to find out whether the development is acceptable in principle before detailed drawings are needed. Once outline permission has been granted, permission is needed for the approval of the details (Reserved Matters) before work can start. This type of application is best suited to larger applications where the principle of the development may be controversial rather than smaller applications such as house extensions.
Recent changes to planning legislation mean that more information is now required with outline applications than previously and a basic level of information on the use, amount of development, indicative layout, scale (height, width and length limits) and access points will be required. If you wish to make an outline application please contact a planning officer for advice on the amount of information likely to be needed for your particular proposal.
Reserved Matters:
This application is for the approval of matters, comprising layout, scale, appearance, access and landscaping following approval of an outline planning permission. What you propose must be consistent with the outline permission.
Pre-Application Consultations and Meeting
Before making an application, it is often useful to consult any neighbours who might be affected by the proposed works. In more complicated cases, you should consider consulting other bodies, such as the Environment Agency or the local water and sewerage company (to discuss any potential sewerage, water or flooding problems) and County Highways (to discuss road safety and traffic issues) who might have an interest.
It is recommended that you either send in your proposal for informal comments before submitting an application, or meet with an officer to discuss what issues need to be considered and any potential problems that may arise and ways of solving those. In order to do this efficiently you should have as much detail regarding your potential proposal as possible, preferably including photographs of the site and layout/elevation plans of the proposal, if applicable.
Design and Access Statements
Most applications are now required to be accompanied by a concise written statement to explain the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the proposed development and to show how the access arrangements are convenient and inclusive for all types of user. The statements need not be very long, but the amount of detail they contain should reflect how complex the application is. A statement for a major development is thus likely to be much longer than one for a single dwelling. Householder applications will not need a design statement, unless the property is in a Conservation Area. Warwick District Council have prepared guidance notes on Design and Access Statements (33KB, PDF) and there is a very useful document "Design and access statements: How to write, read and use them" issued by CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment).
Making an Application
Applicants often make use of a Plan Drawer, Architect or Planning Consultant, although this is not a requirement of the planning process. Details of local companies are available from either the BT telephone directory, or other similar information guides, such as the Yellow Pages or Thomson directory. The Royal Town Planning Institute also provides information on planning consultants, whilst the Royal Institute of British Architects provides a list of architects. Please note that Warwick District Council holds no responsibility for the information contained on any of the above external website nor the quality of the practices listed.
Planning and other application forms, and other guidance on the information the Council expects you to provide, can be obtained from the Councils offices or can be filled in on-line and then submitted via the Planning Portal.
Your application must be accompanied by a location plan of the site at a scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500, a layout plan of the site showing boundaries and adjacent buildings, and details of any proposed works including elevations.
A certificate to confirm that you own the land or have notified all owners of the land must be submitted together with the appropriate fee.
Anyone can make an application, irrespective of who owns the land or buildings concerned. However, if you are not the owner, or if you have only part-ownership, you have to inform the owner(s), including any leaseholder whose lease still has seven or more years to run, and any agricultural tenant.
The fee amounts may be viewed in Charges for Applications. However some applications are exempt from fees. When a previous application has been granted, refused or withdrawn, one further application by the same applicant for the same type and character of development on the same site can be made free of charge within twelve months.N.B. For resubmissions following withdrawn applications, the exemption runs for twelve months from the date the original application was submitted.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Applicants are required to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for certain major projects and some proposed changes of land use. The EIA is a study using scientific and other information about an area to be developed. It enables decisions to be taken with full knowledge of the environmental consequences which would result, in both rural and urban areas. The local authority informs applicants when an EIA is necessary or an applicant can write to the Planning Authority to obtain a "Screening Opinion" as to whether an EIA is required.
The Planning Process
The Development Control section of the Planning & Engineering Department will try and check whether your application is valid (using the relevant validation checklist) and acknowledge it within five working days. It will then be placed on the Planning Register at the Council offices so that it can be inspected by any interested member of the public.
Example Timetable of the Process
- Week 1 Validation of application
- Week 2 Processing of application (inc sending out of consultations and notifications)
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Week 2-3 Officers site visit (inc posting of site notice)
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Week 3-5 Receipt of consultation and notification responses
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Week 5-6 Amendments to scheme (if required)
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Week 6-7 Delegated Decision or preparation of Committee report
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Week 7-8 Committee consideration if required (dependent upon schedule of committee dates)
NOTE: The above timetable is a typical example of a standard householder or other minor planning application and due to the individuality of all applications and the issues involved this timetable may change.
A site notice will be put up near or adjacent to all application sites by the case officer when the site is visited and adjoining neighbours notified of the application so that comments on the application can be made. In certain cases, applications are also advertised in a local newspaper. The Parish or Town Council will be notified together with other relevant organisations such as Warwickshire County Council, the Environment Agency and English Heritage. Every site will be visited by the case officer as every application and site is unique.
All applications will be considered on their own respective merits, having regard to relevant comments from consultees, site inspection findings, planning policy and other guidance. Applications may need to be justified by a written submission of case if they would constitute an exception to the development plan for the area and/or national policies.
A case officer will consider your application and in most instances a decision will be made within 8 weeks, or 13 weeks for major applications. However, this is dependant upon the application being submitted with all the necessary information.
The Planning Department may, depending on the complexities of the application and the responses from consultees, decide the application under Delegated Powers , or a report will be prepared for the Planning Committee, which is made up of elected councillors, outlining the application, responses from consultees and the officer’s assessment and recommendation.
Applicants, agents, supporters and objectors can speak at the Planning Committee, together with a representative of the Parish and Town Councils. Ward members also have a right to address the Committee when applications in their ward are discussed.
After the Decision
Warwick District Council will send you (or usually your agent) a letter notifying you of the decision stating whether the application is granted or refused.
If the application is granted, it will generally, unless your permission says otherwise,be time limited so that you have to begin the development within three years of the granting of planning permission. There may be other conditions on the permission requiring the submission and approval of details before works start on site.It is most important that these are dealt with BEFORE the development begins as failure to discharge "pre-commencement" conditions means that a commencement of the development may be unlawful. Enforcement Action may also be taken if conditions or details are not submitted and approved by the Planning Authority before work is commenced.
If outline permission has been granted, you will need to submit a further application for approval of anything that was not covered by the outline application (known as "reserved matters") before starting work. This must be done within 3 years of the grant of outline permission.
You may need to get other approvals such as listed building or conservation area consent before you can start work. Schemes approved under planning may be necessary to comply with Building Regulations requirements. You should therefore check with Building Control whether a Building Regulations application is required.
Sometimes, alterations to a scheme in order to meet the Building Regulations requirements will be needed. You should therefore ALWAYS check with the planning case officer in Development Control whether any further planning permission is required for these changes, as an approval under the Building Regulations does not override the need for planning permission to be obtained.
It may be possible for you to make minor changes as you proceed ie changes that do not materially affect any neighbour or the character/appearance of the locality but you should ALWAYS check the position with the case officer in the Development Control section first. Any significant variation, such as enlarging a proposal normally requires a further planning application. If permission is not granted prior to changes being made then the developer may be liable to Enforcement Action.
If permission is refused , the letter will state the reasons for refusal and will include notes on how to appeal the decision. You can discuss the prospects for submitting a further application designed to overcome the reasons for refusal with the planning officer, or you can appeal against the condition(s) that you do not agree with.
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