Charges for Pre-Application Advice 

• An opportunity to better understand the way in which an application will be judged against the policies in the development plan and other material considerations.
• Can identify where there is a need for specialist input such as that relating to historic buildings, trees or landscape, contaminated or unstable land and anticipate other regulatory requirements.
• Affords the opportunity to develop and modify a proposal to make it potentially more acceptable to the Council and help to ensure a smoother and quicker passage through the development control process.
• May lead to a reduction in the time spent by professional advisors in working up a proposal.
• May indicate where a proposal is completely unacceptable to the Council saving the applicant the costs of finalising an application and paying a fee.
• Can ensure an application is complete and comprehensive and to a satisfactory standard, avoiding rejection at registration stage or early refusal of permission because of inadequate or insufficient information.

• Where it is appropriate to meet with planning officers written confirmation of your appointment with a planning officer. Meetings may be held at the Council’s offices or on site if appropriate.  You will be asked to confirm your agreement to pay the Council’s charges prior to any meeting.
• For pre-planning application our investigation of the planning history, an indication of planning constraints including Tree Preservation Orders, extent of Conservation areas, public rights of way,  flood protection areas, other statutory designations , and the relevant development plan policies - on condition you have supplied a plan identifying the  site, and an outline of your proposals ( sketch  or indicative plans) not less than 7 days prior to any meeting. If the site has a complex or extensive planning history or is heavily constrained we will make an additional  site investigation charge ( see Other Charges). This site investigation charge will be levied  if site research is required after a meeting to enable a written response to be supplied where insufficient information about the site was provided prior to a meeting.
• Provision of information about current and relevant development plan policies and relevant planning site history.
• Provision of information about the Council’s technical standards for development proposals e.g. access, car parking, open space, tree protection, and how Building Regulation requirements may affect your planning proposals.
• Advice on the most appropriate work for the management and maintenance of trees.
• Provision of information about the Councils requirements for, or contribution to, infrastructure provision  e.g. affordable housing, highway network improvement.
• Provision of advice about the Council’s development control process including the consultation processes, likely timetable of consideration, and estimation of decision date, on any submitted application.
• Informal and without prejudice comments and guidance on the content, construction and presentation of an application likely to satisfy the Councils planning policies.
• Provision of appropriate contacts necessary for any further pre-application consultation and scheme preparation e.g. highways, nature conservation.
• Provision of copies of any relevant documents including copies of Tree Preservation Orders, and OS maps under the Map Scheme, subject to the Council’s standard copying charges.
• On request, a written summary of any views expressed by the planning officer.
• Pre-registration check of proposed planning application including  assessment of any prescribed statutory fee or charges. 

Please note charges will be invoiced for payment after the meeting. 

Invoices to be settled within 21 days. If a meeting is cancelled charges may be made for any pre –meeting enquires or site investigations that have been carried out.