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How to make a planning application

An application is a legal document and so it is important that it is properly made out.

An application will normally consist of a set of application forms, a Certificate of Ownership, plans and a fee. It is essential to ensure that all forms and certificates are signed and dated. In addition, since 10th August 2006, most applications must also be accompanied by a design and access statement and there are additional requirements for submitting outline applications.

Forms

There are different forms depending on which type of development you are applying for:

Form 1 - is for making planning applications. These can be for outline permission to establish the principle of a particular development. Such an application can only be for the erection of buildings (not for a change of use) and normally reserves matters such as design, siting, external appearance, access and landscaping for later approval. Approval of Reserved Matters is seeking approval of the detailed matters which were not included in an outline planning permission. Different reserved matters can be submitted at different times and it is also possible to submit different forms of one reserved matter (e.g. alternative house designs). Full applications are where approval is sought for all matters and includes all change of use proposals.

Form 2 - is for listed building applications i.e. any works proposed to extend alter or demolish a listed building (which includes internal works). Such consent is additional to any need to submit a planning application or one for advertisement consent. For instance, an application to extend a listed building may require both a planning application and a listed building application to be submitted. They are separate applications and will require their own set of forms, certificate and drawings. This form is also used to submit applications for conservation area consent. Such consent is required to demolish, or substantially demolish unlisted buildings in a conservation area.

Form 4 - this is for applications seeking express consent to display an advertisement or sign.

Form 5 - this is a simplified householder form that can be used instead of Form 1 for extensions and alterations to dwellings.

There are also separate forms for use with applications for lawful development certificates and for prior notifications. Lawful Development Certificate applications are for legal determinations as to whether existing development commenced without planning permission is now lawful (section 191) or to find out if proposed development needs planning permission (section 192). Prior Notifications are applications for certain types of agricultural, forestry, telecommunications and demolition works that normally constitute permitted development. Whilst these works do not require planning permission, there is a requirement to formally notify the Council first.

Forms are available from the Council offices or can be obtained from this website.

Certificates

With every planning, listed building and conservation area consent application, a Certificate of Ownership has to be submitted. There are separate certificates for planning applications and listed building/conservation area applications. If you are not the sole owner, then you will need to send a separate notice to the owner, notifying them that you are submitting an application affecting their property.

With planning applications, you will also need to submit an Agricultural Holdings Certificate stating whether the land is part of an agricultural holding (this refers to whether the land is tenanted as a holding and not whether it is registered).

Fee

Most planning and lawful development certificate applications, and prior notification proposals require a planning fee to be submitted with the application. Listed building and conservation area consent applications do not need a fee. The fees are set nationally and vary according to the type and scale of the proposal. Cheques should be crossed and made payable to Bridgnorth District Council. Where submitting a joint cheque for planning and building regulation fees, please provide a note indicating how the total has been made up. Please note that for fee purposes, floor space refers to external and not internal measurements.

Plans

All applications require a location plan which should be Ordnance Survey (O.S.)based to a scale of at least 1:2500. The site area should be edged red with any adjoining land in the same ownership edged blue. Copies of O.S. extracts required for applications can be obtained from the Council.

You will also need to submit plans and drawings  giving full details of the proposal. The drawings must be to a metric scale and be to a reasonable professional standard. All elevations of a building should be shown and where altering a building, existing and proposed elevation and floor plans should be submitted. Copies of drawings the subject of a previous application will not be allowed if they include any reference to the previous application or decision. Photographs will also not suffice in substitution of scaled drawings, but can be useful as supporting information.

Five copies of plans and drawings are requested.

Online submission

The Council is now able to accept electronic submission of planning applications through the Planning Portal link of this website.

Design and Access Statements

All planning and listed building applications except for the following categories, must include a design and access statement to be registered as valid. The exceptions are those proposing engineering operations only, changes of use where no operational development is involved and householder schemes except where in a conservation area, World Heritage Site, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Outline Applications

As from the 10th August 2006, reserved matters on outline applications now relate to Layout, Scale, Appearance, Access and Landscaping. The following additional information must be submitted with outline applications:

• Where Layout is reserved, the approximate location of buildings, routes and open spaces.
• Where Scale is reserved, the upper and lower limit for the height, width and length of each building included.
• Where access is reserved, the areas where access points to the development will be situated.

Additional Information in Special Cases:

• Commercial/Industrial Developments - If you are submitting an industrial, retail or commercial application, then it may help progress the application if the Council's Form 3 is completed and submitted with the application.  Whilst the omission of the Form will not invalidate the registration of the application, the information provided on the Form is often required to process the proposal and its provision at the outset may help speed up the determination of the application.
• Conservation Areas - Outline applications may not be accepted in such areas as the Council needs to assess the impact of development on the character and appearance of such areas. Where outline applications are accepted, illustrative sketch drawings are likely to be required. The Council is also likely to require a design statement setting out how the proposal has been designed to preserve or enhance the area.
• Rural building conversions - A structural survey report of the buildings will be required and details of whether any protected wildlife species may be affected.
• Design - Where design is likely to be an important consideration, a design statement should be submitted.
• S106 Obligations - Where a proposal is likely to involve an Obligation being agreed (e.g. affordable housing, public open space), then a draft copy should be submitted with the application.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) - Some types of development by their size and type require the submission of an EIA with an application to be valid.
• Other Information - Where development is close to a river or in the flood plain; there are likely to be significant traffic, retail, noise or archaeological effect;, or the site is close to a landfill site or in an area subject to past mining activity, then the Council may require technical assessments to be submitted to deal with these issues.