Get advice on your application
We strongly recommend that you discuss your proposals with us, before submitting your application. Our pre-application service provides the following key benefits:
- an understanding of the local and national policies relevant to your proposal as well as any constraints and opportunities
- identification of the key planning issues together with professional advice as to how to resolve them
- speedier determination of your application once submitted
- a smoother validation process
- reduced likelihood that your application will be refused
If you choose not to seek our advice before submitting an application, or choose not to take the advice given, your application may be refused without further negotiation.
Please note that our pre-application service does not include advice about whether or not you need planning permission. If this is your query you should submit an application for a certificate of lawfulness.
Our telephone duty officer service (planning)
If you wish to discuss your proposal via a telephone appointment, we have a duty planning officer available at different times throughout the week to discuss your project with you. Please note that this service is not applicable to proposals requiring Listed Building Consent; we offer a different service where listed buildings are concerned.
Our duty planning officer appointments are available during the following times:
- Mondays and Thursdays: 11am – 1pm (last appointment 12:30pm)
- Wednesday: 2pm – 4pm (last appointment 3:30pm).
The fee for this service is £94 per appointment (appointments last no more than 20 minutes). Please note that before the appointment can be booked, payment and the submission of relevant information will need to be provided.
The duty planning officer cannot provide focused advice without a clear understanding of what you are looking to achieve. During your appointment, we will provide valuable advice on how likely your proposals are to gain planning permission, how you can best improve these chances (if necessary) and what information we need to register your application. This can save you time and money when it comes to submitting your application. The more information you can provide ahead of the telephone meeting, the more productive the appointment will be.
There will be occasions where a site visit may be helpful, in this instance, the officer can advise you on the other pre-application services we offer.
If a duty officer appointment is not suitable for your development, or should you require a more detailed service, such as a written response, a meeting and/or a site visit, we offer a more formal pre-application service that may be more suitable (see below).
Our written pre-application service
This service is suitable where you require a written response or your proposal is too complex to be dealt with via our telephone duty officer service. This process requires you to complete a pre-application form, provide the required information, pay the relevant fee, and to submit to us for processing. A pre-application submission will only be valid upon receipt of all relevant information and payment. Officers will then strive to provide a written response within 15 working days. If there is an extension to this time, you will be advised.
Further information about this service is as follows:
Please complete the relevant form (below) and return to us at [email protected] together with any supporting information that you think may be necessary. Before we can begin to process your request, you will also need to pay the relevant fee (see below)
Within 20 working days of receiving all the relevant information we aim to:
- provide a full written response
- arrange a meeting if necessary and agree a timescale for a full written response
If you would like your pre-application query to be prioritised, you may wish to consider entering into a Planning Performance Agreement with us (not available for householder proposals).
From 1 April 2026 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:
Householder pre-application fees
| Service |
Fee |
| Letter only |
£94 |
| Letter and meeting |
£120 |
| Letter and site visit |
£160 |
| Follow-up meeting |
+£62 |
Specialist comments
Where specialist comments are required, the following fees will be added
Specialist comments fees
| Service |
Fee |
| Heritage/conservation advice |
£50 |
| Drainage advice |
£50 |
From 1 April 2026 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:
Residential development pre-application fees
| Size of development |
Letter only |
Letter and meeting |
Letter and site visit |
Follow-up meeting |
Follow-up letter |
| 1-2 dwellings |
£415 |
£520 |
£570 |
+£130 |
+£145 |
| 3-9 dwellings |
£986 |
£1090 |
£1194 |
+£145 |
+£176 |
| 10-49 dwellings |
£1765 |
£1868 |
£1972 |
+£311 |
+£467 |
| 50-199 dwellings |
£3322 |
£3633 |
£3840 |
+£415 |
+£623 |
| 200-350 dwellings |
£5190 |
£5812 |
£6228 |
+£519 |
+£934 |
We can also provide 'in principle' advice at a meeting (with no written response). Charges for this are £727 for residential development of 10-49 homes or £1,349 for developments of 50 or more homes.
From 1 April 2026 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:
Commercial or other non-residential pre-application fees
| Size of development |
Letter only |
Letter and meeting |
Letter and site visit |
Follow-up meeting |
Follow-up letter |
| Up to 500sqm |
£343 |
£457 |
£519 |
+£130 |
+£145 |
| 501-999sqm |
£571 |
£675 |
£778 |
+£145 |
+£176 |
| 1000-4900sqm |
£1868 |
£2024 |
£2180 |
+£311 |
+£467 |
| 5000-9999sqm |
£2387 |
£2854 |
£3114 |
+£415 |
+£675 |
| 10000-19999sqm |
£4152 |
£4671 |
£5190 |
+£519 |
+£934 |
We can also provide 'in principle' advice at a meeting (with no written response). Charges for this are £727 for non-residential developments of up to 5,000 square metres of floor space, or £1,349 for developments exceeding 5,000 square metres of floor space.
From 1 April 2025 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:
Listed building and other pre-application fees
| Type of application |
Letter only |
Letter and meeting |
Letter and site visit |
Follow-up meeting |
Follow-up letter |
| Listed building -householder |
£94 |
£120 |
£160 |
+£62 |
N/A |
| Listed building non-householder |
£182 |
£238 |
£285 |
+£130 |
N/A |
| Change of use |
£239 |
£285 |
£348 |
+£130 |
+£156 |
| Advertisements |
£125 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Exemptions and reductions in pre-application fees
No fees will be payable when:
- the enquiry is made by the county council and relates to a statutory function
- the enquiry is made by a parish council
- the proposal relates to development of an existing dwelling where the works are for the benefit of a disabled occupier
A 50 percent reduction will apply for enquiries made by a local charity or community group.
Freedom of information statement
We may get Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Regulations requests about pre-application advice that we have provided.
Under Environmental Information Regulations Section 12 (5) (f), pre-application advice will not be provided in response to requests unless explicit consent has been provided to enable disclosure.
Explicit consent means that the pre-application applicant must have actively consented to the future disclosure of the information provided.
In using this exemption we will be required to carry out a Public Interest Test. In some circumstances, the lack of explicit consent may be overridden if the Public Interest Test shows that the public interest in disclosing the pre-application advice outweighs the interests in withholding it.
In cases where the Public Interest Test leads to full or partial disclosure, personal data will still be protected by the Data Protection Act.
You'll find the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidance on EIR Section 12 (5) (f) on the ICO website.
