PLANNING APPLICATIONS

I can give a wide range of Planning Advice on projects relating to:
✓ Planning Appeals
✓ External Alterations to Flats
✓ Site Layout Design
✓ Planning Objections
✓ Writing Objection Letters
✓ Building Design
✓ Planning Statements
✓ Household Planning Applications
✓ Lawful Development Certificates

Planning appeals are the most common type of appeal, and depending on the type of
application that is to be considered there are different ways of proceeding with the
appeal. The most common appeal is in respect of a refusal of planning permission,
although you can also appeal against any conditions that have been imposed on an
approved planning permission or if the local planning authority has failed to make a
decision within a specified timeframe (usually 8 or 13 weeks depending upon the type of
application).

When making an appeal be mindful of the submission time as it can vary from 28 days to 6
months. You do not want to get caught out!

✓ If you are unsure, give me a call and we can discuss your appeal options

Any external works (window, doors, sheds, etc) to a single or multiple flat(s) require Planning
Permission. This is because flats do not have any Permitted Development Rights.

The purpose of Outline Planning Applications is to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development would be acceptable to the Local Planning Authority, before a fully detailed proposal is presented.

This type of planning application allows less details of the proposal to be submitted. Once outline permission has been granted, you will need to request approval of the details (“reserved matters”) before work can begin. These details will be the subject of a “reserved matters” request at a later stage.

You may have a neighbour who has submitted a planning application for an extension to their
home, that you do not like or a fast-food restaurant wants to open down the road
from your home and want to object to it, which is well within your rights to do.

However, your Local Planning Authority will only accept your reason for objection if the grounds
of your objections are valid. Not everyone knows the right terminology to use when objecting
nor knows if their concerns are acceptable.

✓ If you contact me, we can discuss your concerns together and see if there is a way
forward to object to that application.

All buildings and land have a “Use Class” and sometimes to change from one Use Class to
another you may need planning permission and sometimes not.
For example:
A residential dwelling normally comes under Use Class C3
and
A normal retail shop is under Use Class E(a).
If you want to convert (change of use) one to the other planning permission may be required.

✓ If you are not sure of the Use Class of your building or land, I can help you find this out
and then advise you if you require planning permission or not.

Most planning applications require some form of report to explain why you want to develop a
building or land. The type of report required for your project can vary. If you wish to extend
your home and it is a listed building you will require a Design and Access Statement along with a
Heritage Statement, if you are building a village hall in a rural area you will need a Planning
Statement or mixture of the both. A standard Household Application may just require a covering
letter.
This area can be a bit of a minefield, especially if you do not know what details you need to
provide.

✓ If you are unsure what sort of information you should provide with your drawings, please
contact me and I can advise.

Lawful Development Certificate applications come in two types: Existing Use or Proposed Use

Existing use:
If you have a building in your garden, for example a large shed or summerhouse, and it has been
there for some time and believe it did not require planning permission but are unsure. You
may want to submit this type of application to find out if this development was ‘lawful’ or not.

For example:

You may find when you come to sell your property that your buyer’s solicitors or mortgagers
want to know if that large shed or summerhouse in your garden required planning permission
and require a legal written document as proof. This is when a Lawful Development Certificate
for Existing Use will be required. Please bear in mind a decision from the Local Planning
Authority can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to determine. So, if you are planning on selling your
property, it is best to get this done as soon as possible. You may be lucky and your buyer’s
solicitors or mortgagers do not request this but if they do, you could lose the sale of your house
as the buyer may not be willing to wait for the decision from the Local Planning Authority.

Proposed Use:
You may have an external building project you want to do but do not know if the proposed work
is Permitted Development or not
Or
You may have an integral garage connected to your home and want to convert it into additional
living accommodation and do not know if this requires planning permission or not.

This is just two examples where you would submit a Lawful Development Certificate for
Proposed Use. If the development is deemed Permitted Development ‘lawful’ you can rest at
ease that you can build or convert without any complications. Also, when you come to sell your
home, you have your legal documents stating the external buildings are Permitted Development.

✓ If you are not sure what Lawful Development Certificate application you require or
what information you need to provide the Local Planning Authority, please contact
me for advice.

Sometimes people build an extension, a building or use a building as a certain Use Class without
obtaining planning permission first. This may seem like a good idea at the time until someone
reports them to the Local Planning Authority and then they are contacted by the Planning
Enforcement Officer.
The Enforcement Officer will instruct you:
a) To submit a planning application
or
b) they can service you with an Enforcement Notice called PLANNING CONTRAVENTION
NOTICE (PCN) and state you must remove the said building or return the building/land to
its former use.

✓ With the former, a), I can help you by drafting the drawings and submit the planning
application on your behalf.
✓ With the latter, b), I can appeal the PCN, but please note with this you have a limited
time to appeal meaning days instead of months.

If you have a project in mind and not sure how to go about it. I can visit you at your
property and discuss your ideas. I use Computer Drafting Software that will bring your
dream alive. If you want to change anything to the design, I can simply alter it with a few
clicks of a button.