Pre-Planning
Application Advice
Why seek pre-application advice?
It can be very helpful to seek our advice about your planning proposals before submitting your actual application. This might involve meeting with us or just sending us your proposals for us to comment. This can help to overcome potential difficulties and make sure your application deals with all the important planning considerations.
You may also find it helpful to obtain advice from an independent
planning specialist when drawing up your scheme. People who regularly prepare planning applications have the experience and expertise that can help make sure your scheme has the best chance of being granted
consent. Spending time and effort in preparing your scheme is more likely to result in a good quality and acceptable development and also help us process your application quickly.
As a result of the time and resources involved for giving pre-application advice, we have introduced a new sliding scale of pre-application charges that is based on the type of proposal. We have also introduced a system where you can ask about the overall feasibility of the principle of a
development, requiring less details to be submitted.
How the scheme works
We will decide which officers from Planning or other Council services, or from outside organisations, need to deal with your enquiries or meet with you. You can ask to meet with certain officers but the ultimate decision will be ours. Meetings (if requested) will usually be held at the Sedgemoor Offices at Bridgwater House unless there are good reasons to meet
elsewhere.
There are two routes of enquiry available to you:
b) a site location plan;
c) photographs and drawings of the site and the proposals; and d) your contact details and whether you request a meeting.
If a meeting is requested, you will need to send us this information far enough in advance for us to be able to reach a preliminary view before we meet you and we will arrange the meeting as soon as possible after receipt, usually within 10 working days.
For small-scale and minor proposals there is an additional fee if you request this.
The issues we will consider include: • The planning history of the site.
• If there are any constraints on the site. For example, is the building listed; is the development site in a conservation area; is there a flood risk; are there any national or local designations etc.
• Government advice.
• Relevant Development Plan policies.
• The design, including sustainable construction and energy issues. • Vehicle and pedestrian access and parking matters.
• Amenity impact (such as impact on surroundings and the effect the development will have on the locality).
• Possible obligations on you as the developer. For example, the provision of infrastructure, affordable housing or contributions to service provision.
• Necessary practical measures. For example, dealing with possible contamination.
• Process or timetable issues (major proposals only).
Our charges
The new schedule of charges incorporates a sliding scale of fees, which are dependent on the nature of your proposal. All fees for this service will be plus VAT at the applicable rate.
Small-scale developments
This includes modest developments such as residential extensions, advertisements, and works to Listed Buildings.
The charge for providing pre-application written advice will be £40 plus VAT of 20% = £48, and if you would also like to hold a meeting the charge is £60 plus VAT of 20% = £72.
Minor developments
This includes developments that fall within the category of “'Minor”
applications as set by the Government. Examples of such developments include:
• residential developments of less than 10 houses or on sites smaller than 0.5 hectares;
• any scheme on a site smaller than a hectare;
• commercial development with under 1,000 square metres of floorspace;
• changes of use.
The charge for providing pre-application written advice will be £80 plus VAT of 20% = £96, and if you would also like to hold a meeting the charge is £120 plus VAT of 20% = £144.
Major development schemes
A major development is defined as:
• any scheme on any site of over 1 hectare;
• a residential scheme on any site over 0.5 hectares;
• a residential scheme providing 10 dwelling units or more; or • a commercial scheme of over 1,000 square metres floorspace.
The charge for providing pre-application advice for major applications will be £1,500 plus VAT of 20% = £1,800. In all cases this will include a
our discretion minor follow up queries may not be subject to further charge.
For very large-scale major development proposals we would recommend use of the Planning Performance Agreement procedure instead of this method. Please speak to a member of the Development Management team for more information on how this can be achieved.
2. Initial / “in principle” Pre-Application Advice
Under this route you can ask for the opinion of a planning officer on development proposals. The purpose of this is to allow you to get an informed view over the principle of development without needing detailed plans and submissions. What we will require is a plan of the site, and a brief description of what you are proposing to do.
The scope of this service is far more limited than the detailed
pre-application discussion, and as such the level of advice that we can offer will be restricted to matters of general principle such as the suitability of the site for a type of development.
Please note that under this system no detailed elements of the scheme (such as design) will be considered and for this to take place you will subsequently need to submit a detailed pre-application inquiry with the appropriate fee. We will however look into as many of the issues as is possible from the information that you supply, and the whole purpose of this method is to give you guidance on the best way to go forward with your development proposal.
Our charges
The charge for providing initial in principle pre-application written advice on larger (i.e. Major) schemes will be £80 plus VAT of 20% = £96, and if you would also like to hold a meeting the charge is £120 plus VAT of 20% = £144.
For all other types of proposal the fee for initial pre-application written advice will be £40 plus VAT of 20% = £48, and if you would also like to hold a meeting the charge is £60 plus VAT of 20% = £72.
Our advice
For written enquiries only, we aim to respond to you within 15 working days.
In cases where a meeting is held, we will provide a written summary of our advice usually within 15 working days of meeting with you (which should be 10 working days after we receive your enquiry).
To obtain our advice, payment must be made in advance by cheque, electronic funds or banker’s draft, and made payable to Sedgemoor
District Council. We will need to be satisfied that your cheque has cleared before we can meet you or provide a written response.
Our advice will be provided in good faith but it will not be any guarantee that your application will result in a particular decision and will not be binding on Sedgemoor District Council in any way. It will only be
applicable so long as there is no change in policy or other circumstances relevant to the case.
Our opinion might have to change during the formal application process once the views of neighbours, Local Councils and District Councillors have been obtained. The final decision may also be made by the
Development Committee, rather than by officers, and it is always possible that the Committee Members may reach a different view.
Whether or not you decide to take pre-application advice does not affect your right to submit a planning application, nor to appeal should consent be refused.
Where do I start?
To request this service, you will need to write to us making it clear whether you are seeking detailed or initial pre-application advice, and stating whether or not you would like a meeting. You will also need to
Other planning advice and information
If you would like more information on planning applications please visit our website: www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/planning
If you have any queries on how this system works and would like to talk to one of our officers please contact us on: 0300 303 7805.
www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/planning
[email protected] 0300 303 7805
