Information which you need to supply in support of your application will be fairly standard wherever you are in the UK, but there are some differences between applying depending on whether you are in England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

I won’t try to go into all the variations you may find in each location, instead, I will give you an overall view of the sort of information you are going to need to gather together to support your applications. – If you then visit your local Planning department’s web site, you will at least know “where to start” and be able to watch out for anything which could “trip you up” as you make your application.

For this article I am going to look use the three main types of application: “Outline Planning Permission” ( the same title is used throughout  the UK), “Full Planning Permission”  and Detailed Planning Permission (otherwise known as “reserved matters”

In Scotland, anyone thinking of starting a project is requested initially to contact their local Planning Department to discuss their proposals and find out directly if, and what type of Planning Permission they will need to apply for.

If you need to know whether or not you will be allowed to develop a property on a particular piece of land, but for whatever reason, it is either not appropriate or you are not in a position to make a “full” application, you will normally apply for “Outline Planning”. If an application is approved it will be for a specific type of development, but will not be in any great detail. It is basically saying that “a development of this particular nature is permitted on this land”. It DOES NOT mean that you can build ANY type of property, JUST the type of property to which the permission relates.

The forms which you will fill in for Outline Planning will usually be different from those for Full Planning, and the information required is not as comprehensive. – So this type of application should be quicker and cheaper to make ( that’s why it is popular if you just want to know “if” you’d be able to build, rather than knowing exactly “what” you are able to build.

1) Your own personal details: Name, address contact details etc.

2) The name and details of your “Agent” if you are using one (an “Agent” is a usually professional, maybe an Architect, a Planning Consultant or a Project Manager of some form, who is looking after making the application for you). – Some people think that they NEED to use an Agent or Planning Specialist” to be able to make an application. This is not the case. – Anyone can submit an application for any type of Planning Permission. The difficulty comes when you have to include certain “information” in support of the application. – For Outline Planning, often the supporting information is fairly minimal and you will often be able to get it all together yourselves without too much hassle. However, if you are not confident enough to take on this task, then you would we well advised, in those circumstances to get in touch with either a local  Archirect / Draughtsman or Planning Specialist, any of whom may be able to help you without you incurring too high a bill! (Note: Some sites in sensitive areas or where there are problems with the site itself, may need some specialist help from the outset. – You will quickly realise if you take on the task of applying yourself, if you are starting to struggle. – If that happens don’t try to “stagger on” you may make mistakes and end up with a real headache to try to sort out).

3) A short description of the proposed development. – Stating whether or not work has already started.

4) The address of the proposed development.

5) Flood risk assessment, which asks you if the proposed development is in an area which is likely to be at risk of flooding. – This is becoming a more important section in some areas of the UK, as occurrences of flooding and coastline corrosion get more and more common.

6) If you have had contact and advice already with the Local Authority over the development. – If you have they may already have you on file. – this won’t normally save you any time with your application, it simply allows them to get all the information into the same file.

7) Have you consulted with the neighbours around the proposed development, and if so, what were the results of those consultations? – Not many people actually DO consult with the neighbours, but it is actually a good step to take. – If they suddenly get a letter from the Planning Department dropping on their floor saying that their next door neighbour ( or someone just up the road) is applying for Planning, you can almost guarantee they will receive a flood of complaint letters. – It’s our nature. – We don’t as a nation like anyone invading our territory! – Neighbour problems can be one of the biggest headaches on a Self Build project (there is also the “jealousy” side of things – People don’t like other people to get stuff they haven’t got! – With a Self Build, you get a nicer house than theirs and you get it cheap! – It’s just not fair!) – I would always recommend trying to smooth the waters before you apply. – take sketches around to the neighbours and have a chat. – see if you can take on board any of their comments which could cause them to complain when you DO make the application. – It could make your life a lot easier!

8) Are you a member of the Local authority Staff, or related to one? – this is just to make sure there is nothing underhand going on.

 

9) What is the area of the proposed site? – you may need to be able to work out “acres” or “hectares”, but if your plot is a simple rectangle, you may just be able to quote its boundary measurements.

 

10) Does your application involve the “ The gain, loss or change of use of residential units?”.  -The answer to this will depend on the type of project you are envisaging. Are you building new? - Converting? - Renovating? - Demoliting? ( It may also ask the same question regarding “None Residential floor space”, to which, if yours is simply a residential project, will usually be answered “No”).

11) What is the present use of the land? – This may be for example “Vacant land”, “Existing 4 Bed detached property in need of renovation” or “derelict property”.

12) Is any part of the land known to be contaminated? – You may be aware of contamination issues with the land, or you may not. If there is any question of there being a problem, you can either find out about it now, or leave it until later. – If your application is simply to ascertain whether or not, in principal the land can be built on, then you may choose not to spend more money investigating the matter at this stage. BUT, if you move on to a Full / Reserved Matters application, you will need to look into this aspect before you are given you approval.

You will also have to fill out forms which deal with “Who presently owns the land”. - You CAN apply for Planning Permission on land which you don’t own, but you are required to let the present owner know that you are applying on their land.

Along with 3 (or possibly more) copies of the application forms you will generally need to provide copies of “location Plans”, “Site Plans”, and also copies any other documents that you feel may be relevant or needed for the Planning Department to be able to consider you application fully, including at least scaled “outline drawings” of the property you are hoping to develop and where it would be positioned on the site.

Either a discussion with the Planning Office, or your “Agent” if you are using one, will clear up exactly what you need to provide with your application in the way of documentation.

You will also need to submit the relevant fee with the application. The amount should be shown on the guidance notes you receive with your application forms.

The forms or a full planning application are very similar to those for an “Outline Application”. However, the “Full Application” requires you to provide further information about the project.

Details of “new”, and, in the case of renovation / conversion, “existing” materials which will either be used new, repaired, or replaced, for:

Walls / Roof / Windows / Doors / Fences / Garden walls (and any other boundary treatments) / Vehicle access / Lighting.

You are also asked to submit details of any other materials which will form part of the development which you feel may be pertinent.

You are also requested to provide information on vehicle parking, stating how many parking places already exist and how many will be created as part of the development.

You will be required to state how the development will be drained (main sewer / septic tank / package treatment plant / cess pit / other). – For a full application, it is not satisfactory to simply say “drains to be fed onto local authority sewers”. – you will need to include drawings showing layouts of the drain runs, “invert  levels” and “cover levels” of manholes, type of materials to be used, proposals for connecting into the main drains (or other proposals where main drainage is not available). Most people will need professional help to compile this information.

You will be required to give notice if there is a reasonable likelihood of there being either of these features affecting anywhere near to the proposed development, and if so you will need to answer the question: Will your development affect them in any way?

Trees and Hedges: You will need to give information on any existing or proposed trees and hedges on the development. – Often trees will have TPO’s (tree preservation orders) on them and you will have to take steps to protect during the construction process.

You may find that you are able to submit an “Outline Application” for a simple and straightforward development without much, or possibly any input from a professional. - You will usually be able to get hold of location plans from a local supplier, and, because of the limited detail that the plans need to show, you may be able to prepare them yourself.

Full Planning is a different matter. The amount of details you will need to include with your application will mean that unless this sort of work is within your existing field of expertise, you will normally have to use a professional to assist you. – If you think you will be able to “learn as you go”, a) it will probably take you a very long time to get an application approved and b) you may find that you have very little hair left by the end of the process. – Just when you need to be “fresh” and “raring to go” with the main part of the project! – My recommendation here is “Horses for courses”. – you do what you are good at and leave the stuff you don’t know about, to the experts!

If you do need some professional assistance you have a number of choices. You can contact a “Planning Specialist / Advisor, an Architect, or a Draughtsman. All of these people should be able to help with some or all of the areas which need covering. – You can find them all in our Trade Directory under the relevant headings.

You can get hold of the forms by downloading them from the relevant web sites for the part of the country where you live, or you can contact the local Authority by phone and request that a set of forms are sent out to you in the post (it may be an idea to ask for 2 “full sets”. – No matter how careful you are, you can pretty much guarantee messing one set up!)

Also remember to ask for a “set of guidance notes” to be included with your application. These will help you understand exactly what information is required, and in what form it needs to be presented, and they will give you the prices for the various types of application. 

Check everything on the forms thoroughly before you submit them. If you complete the forms incorrectly in any way, or even send the incorrect fee, the application will not be accepted, and will be returned to you. - The process of rejecting the application can actually take a few days to a couple of weeks, and you will then need to put them right, and re submit them, which could take another few days. A simple error on your application can therefore easily cost you 3 to 4 weeks in overall progress on the project.

The Planning application process normally takes around 3 months, but this can quickly lengthen to 6 months or more if there are any problems with either the information you have given, or if the Planners find a problem with the site. – it’s well worth you “going the extra mile” to make sure your application is totally complete, with no “holes” “gaps”, “omissions” or “hidden problems”. – If your application is delayed by 6 – 9 months due to your error or omission, you could have had the house pretty much built by the time you get the application approved!