Types of Planning Permission

There are four main types of planning consent.
Outline Planning Consent: Most building plots are sold with outline planning consent. This gives a rough indication of permitted development, such as the extent of accommodation and the height of the building, and includes a simple drawing showing the footprint of the proposed development. Outline planning permission is only a preliminary form of consent and is subject to a condition that full details will need to be approved in order for building to commence.
Outline consent is valid for up to five years but you have only three years to apply for Approval of Reserved Matters.
Approval of Reserved Matters (Detailed Planning Permission): If a site already has outline consent, you will then have to submit detailed designs in order to gain approval to build. Building must then commence within two years.

Full Planning Permission: Is a combination of outline consent and reserved matters where all detailed information is submitted in one application. This is common where the proposed development is contentious. Plots in conservation areas or next to listed buildings are usually sold with full planning permission, as are an increasing proportion of conversion opportunities. Approval may be granted with conditions attached and is valid for five years from the date of consent.

NB: Existing planning permissions are not superseded by new consents, so making a fresh application for the dwelling your wish to build will not in any way jeopardise any existing consents.

Listed Building Consent: Is required in addition to planning consent before any alteration works can be undertaken to a protected (listed) building or for any new buildings within its curtilage. There is no fee.

Making a Planning Application

An application form should be completed and submitted to your local authority together with comprehensive plans and elevations, a copy of an Ordnance Survey site location plan and a site layout plan.

You should also list, either separately or on the drawings, the external materials to be used. It is also a good idea to draft a covering letter, describing the implications of development, listing the documents you have provided and confirming the fee paid, If you employ an agent they will complete the above for you.

The local authority will register your application within around three working days of receipt. They are obliged to inform you how long they will require before making a decision (normally within eight weeks of receipt). However, the council could request an extension to this date. It is in your interests to co-operate — confrontation will get you nowhere.
A decision notice will be sent out within around two days of any decision being made.

Once you have submitted an application, it is important to keep in touch with your planning officer to see how things are progressing. They may be able to give you an indication of the likely outcome.
If they propose to recommend a refusal you could wait for the final decision then appeal or choose to arrest the situation by either asking to defer the consideration so that appropriate changes can be made or withdrawing your application so that you can make a new one.

NB: An initial refusal will be on record when, and if, a further application is made. It is possible, however, to avoid a refusal being recorded in the first place. Decisions do not become legal until they are sent out in the post, so if you get word of a refusal before the council contact you; write to them first declaring that you wish to withdraw your application.

Approval:
If you gain approval it may be subject to certain conditions. Nevertheless, you are free to continue with the construction process.

Refusal:
If the decision is one of refusal you basically have three options:

• Give up and find another site.
• Resubmit — You have up to 12 months to alter your proposals and resubmit at no extra charge.
• Appeal — If you are not happy with the decision and think you have a case to reverse it, you have the right of appeal to the Secretary of State (whether it be for England or Wales).

However, you will need legal advice and you can expect to wait around 5–9 months for a decision, so it is not an advisable route — resubmission is far easier. Also, if unsuccessful, an appeal will almost certainly put an end to your scheme.

If you decide to proceed, request a guide to appeals from your planning officer and the appropriate forms.

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