Types of advice
Your case officer will seek to provide you with constructive and relevant written comments and advice to help you submit a planning application.
The advice given will depend on the complexity and nature of the proposed development but could include:
- relevant planning policies - an assessment as to whether the proposal complies with local, regional and national policies
- constraints - for example, conservation area, green belt, special protection area and so on
- land use - acceptability of proposed uses
- residential development - acceptability of mix of units, affordable housing requirement
- design - comments on built form, scale, massing, views, street scene, historic context and so on
- amenity - which properties may be affected and how, what further assessment is required in terms of daylight/sunlight studies, noise studies, tree surveys and landscape assessment
- transport and highways - advice and comment on servicing, access, parking standards, cycle parking, disabled parking, requirements for a transport statements/assessments and Section 38/278 matters (Highways Act 1980)
- community engagement - who to contact - for example, local councils, community groups
- financial contributions - possible heads of terms or planning obligations that may be required together with an indication of likely contribution levels
Status of advice
Pre-application advice is given in good faith and will represent the case officer’s professional view.
The advice given will be as accurate as possible, but it will be based only on the information available at the time of the enquiry and the case officer’s personal judgement. Therefore, positive feedback in pre-application discussions does not automatically mean that an application will be granted permission.
If you disagree with the advice
In most cases, it is differences of opinion rather than factual errors that give rise to disagreement. These can only be resolved through the formal planning process. However, if you feel that something has gone wrong, please explain this to the officer involved, as they may be able to clarify the situation further.
Where an applicant fails to incorporate advice given at the pre-application stage into a formal planning proposal it is likely the application will be refused without any further negotiation.
If you are still dissatisfied with the service provided, you can make a formal complaint. For more information on the complaints procedure, visit our complaints section.