Your Planning Application - What Happens Next?

Planning Applications can be viewed on-line on the UK Planning website.

How a Planning Application is processed

The process may be divided into 6 stages:

• Registration and validation
• Publicity
• Consultations
• Planning Officer's Considerations
  • Policies
  • Site visit
  • Consultations & representations
  • Statutory time limit
• Decision
• Post Decision Actions

Registration and validation

An application that has been correctly submitted is registered and given a reference number. If there are problems with the contents then it will be made 'invalid' and the applicant will be asked to send in the required information as soon as possible.

When the application is valid it will be allocated to a planning Case Officer.

A letter of acknowledgement is sent to the applicant; this letter gives the reference number of the application, the name of the Case Officer and their telephone number. At any stage in the application the applicant may contact the Case Officer for an update on the application. The reference number should be quoted on all correspondence sent to Planning Services.

Publicity

The neighbours immediately adjoining the property/site are notified of the proposals. They have three weeks within which to make their comments.

Some applications will be advertised in the local newspaper. These include applications located in conservation areas, on listed buildings any that represent a 'departure' from the local plan policies, or may affect a public right of way.

The Council asks applicants to display a site notice may be displayed near or at the property.

The application is recorded in the Planning Register. The Register and all the documents relating to the application, including consultation responses, letters of representation and the Officers report are available for public inspection either at the Civic Offices or at UK Planning

Consultations

As well as notifying the neighbours, various other agencies are consulted about the scheme and invited to make comments on the proposal.

The Town or Parish Council will always be asked for a view on the application.

Departments within the Local Authority, such as Highways, Landscape and Conservation or Drainage may be consulted about the likely impact of the proposal.

These consultees usually have three weeks in which to respond.

Planning Officer Considerations

Policies - Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications must be determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Planning Officer will therefore primarily consider the application in light of the relevant policies for the proposal.

The relevant Development Plans are the Regional Planning Guidance set out in RPG9, the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 and the Hart District Local Plan (Replacement) 1996-2006.  Including first alterations (Please see the relevant webpage on this) The Local Plan sets out the most detailed policies, applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the policies or talk to a Planning Officer about those that are relevant to the proposal.

If the application is contrary to Policy, and there are no other material considerations to indicate that the Policy (including Supplementary Planning Guidance) should be overridden, then the application is unlikely to be recommended for approval.

Site Visit - During the first three weeks the Case Officer will visit the site to assess the proposals. This will normally be carried out without an appointment but if the officer is unable to assess the proposals fully, an appointment will be made to visit the site again.  A question on the application form allows an applicant to arrange with the case officer if an appointment needs to be made to undertake the site visit.

During the site visit the Case Officer will note, for example, the following:

• Impact on the existing building
• Appearance & setting of existing property
• Proximity of neighbouring properties
• Any windows/doors on neighbours' property that may be affected by your proposal
• Details of the boundary treatments
• Similar forms of development in the area
• Impact on the landscape
• Impact on the street scene
  

Consultations and representations - When the consultation period is over, the Case Officer will assess all the comments, including those received from neighbours. Then, also taking into account his/her observations from the site visit, the Officer may contact the applicant to discuss any problems.

Statutory time limit - The statutory time limit within which most applications should be determined is 8 weeks. As there is considerable pressure to determine applications within this period, if the application cannot be amended satisfactorily within the time limit then the Officer may recommend the application for refusal or ask you to withdraw it and begin again.

Decision

At this stage the Case Officer is in a position to write the report and to recommend whether permission be granted or refused.

Most applications are dealt with by the Case Officer and then confirmed by a senior officer under 'delegated powers'. Delegated decisions can often be made within 5-7 weeks of the application being validated.

Sometimes an application will be referred to the Planning Committee for the decision to be made by the elected Councillors. If the application is referred to the Planning Committee then the applicant and anyone who has made a comment will be notified. These notification letters also state whether there will be an opportunity to address the Committee.

Once the decision has been made, either by the Planning Committee or the Case Officer, the decision notice will be produced and sent to the applicant.

Post Decision Actions

Permission granted subject to conditions -

• Contact the Case Officer to discuss the conditions and what further information is required in order to comply with them. Planning permission is only deemed to be granted when all conditions have been fulfilled. Failure to comply with the conditions can result in enforcement action and prosecution. NB. There is a fee to discharge conditions which is set by Central Government.
• The applicant may appeal against any condition if it is considered to be unreasonable. Please seek advice from the Case Officer before taking this action.
• Check with Building Control whether building regulations consent is required.
  

Permission refused -

• Contact the Case Officer to discuss whether the scheme can be amended in any way to make it acceptable.
• If the Planning Office considers that the proposal cannot be amended in any way, and the applicant still wishes to proceed with the project then they may appeal to the Planning Inspectorate at 3/01 Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.

At any stage the applicant may contact the Case Officer to discuss the proposal. If using an agent, contact should be made through them. Please quote the application reference number when calling.

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