Making Changes to Your Planning Application

Undetermined planning applications

The Council seeks to achieve nationally set targets for deciding planning applications. For most applications this is an 8 week period from the date of the registration of the planning application.

Given these very tight deadlines, once a planning application is registered then it is probable that the decision will be made on the information submitted. Therefore it is very important that all relevant information is submitted at the beginning, is accurate and takes account of any pre-application advice.  To this end certain information needs to be submitted before the application is registered.

Planning Officers may contact you or your architect/agent for further information only if this information is:

• Fundamental to the decision
• Can be dealt with in the target time identified in the initial acknowledgement letter.

Amendments suggested by you will not be accepted if they result in the application being undetermined by the target date for a decision.

Post-decision alterations

Can I change my approved planning permission after it has been granted?

As from 1 October 2009 there is a formal procedure for dealing with non-material amendments to planning permissions.  You can only use this procedure if you have an interest in the land and you will need to complete the form provided for the purpose, and notify anybody else who has an interest in the land (as with a planning application) to allow them to comment.

Amendments to an approved plan will only be accepted if:

• The request for an amendment relates to a permission that is still capable of implementation.
• The change does not alter the description of the proposal.
• The ‘red line’ identifying the application site has not increased (changes to parts of sites may be acceptable).
• The change is not contrary to a condition attached to the planning permission, although conditions may be reworded to be of materially the same effect.
• The sorts of planning conditions that may be imposed are, for example:
  • They list the drawings which form part of the planning permission
  • In respect of windows ensure that any upper-floor window located in a wall or roof slope forming a side elevation of a building shall be:
  • obscure-glazed, and
  • non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed
• This list is not exclusive and will be dependent on the individual circumstances of the application/amendment.
• The change is ‘minor’ in nature

When judging whether a change is ‘minor’, the following criteria will be used:

• There is no material increase in any overall dimension of the building/structure.
• There is no significant reduction in any dimension of the building/structure.
• The adjustment of the siting/design of the building/structure will not give rise to any planning consequences.
• Any additional windows in a side elevation are likely to be subject to the above condition unless they are further than 20m from any boundary of the site.
• Re-organisation of windows that would not result in any additional overlooking, such as changing patio doors for a window, will be permitted
• There is no loss of car parking spaces.

Hart District Council maintains the discretion in all cases to decline to agree to an amendment if it considers that it is material in the particular circumstances of the case.

If you consider that the amendment falls within the criteria listed then you should submit:

• A copy of the relevant form.
• 3 copies of appropriately scaled drawings illustrating the change(s).
• The relevant fee (Please see the Fees for Planning Applications)

On receipt of sufficient information the Case Officer will consider the amendment.  The Council has 28 days in which to let you know its decision, but cannot do so for 14 days if you have had to notify anybody else with an interest in the land, in order to allow them to comment.  After the consultation period has finished the Case Officer will review the comments received and determine to approve the amendment or refuse the amendment. You will be notified of the decision in writing.

Currently more substantial changes can only be dealt with by making a fresh application for planning permission.

This text is available as a downloadable leaflet

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