You have decided on your project, you have the funds in place and you have sourced your builders – you are ready to go! However it then comes to light that you will need planning permission, putting a spanner in the works.
This blog aims to discuss how long it could take to receive that all important planning consent and what Hestia Town Planning can do to help things run as smooth as possible.
How long will it take you to get planning permission?
It usually takes 8 weeks or less for planning departments to give a decision on the majority of planning applications, especially if they are straightforward and small-scale.
If your application is for a bigger or complicated scope, their goal will to process it within 13 weeks – subject to your agreement. if your application is subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment then it will take 16 weeks.
It is important to note that your 8 or 13 week deadline will begin at the point you submit a valid application (read further for more information on validation).
However, councils do vary, especially if they are understaffed with a sizeable workload. Whilst there are penalties for councils if they go over these limits, this is often the case.
If you have Hestia Town Planning acting as your agent, we can chase the planning officers and hold them accountable to the deadline.
What other time frames are involved in Planning Applications?
The above gives a good overview on general planning submission time frames, however it is also important to factor in other potential time frames.
Preparing your Application
Prior to your submission, you will need to prepare the application. This is easiest if the drawings are done by a professional architect and the application submission is prepared by a planning consultant.
Preparing an application varies and is dependent on the complexity of the scheme, however, for straightforward applications, preparation could take about 4 weeks, including the technical survey and consultation. Together with the basic council process, it takes the best part of 3 months.
Pre-planning applications
Pre-planning applications can add up to 6 weeks to the process, depending on the availability of the planning department. These meetings are not always necessary and Hestia Town Planning can advise you whether your project needs one.
What is a valid planning application?
Local Planning Authorities have very strict application requirements and if these are not met, then your application will not be validated until the correct information is submitted. The reasons for an invalid application vary, however usually, the reason is down to missing or incorrect information.
Over 50% of planning applications are declared as invalid each year.
Sometimes an applicant will submit an application only to realise that they require a specialist report (for example a ground contamination assessment) or have missed a drawing.
These little surprises can cause big delays and can have cost implications if the Applicant has not factored in these additional costs.
Hestia Town Planning will ensure that the correct information is submitted first time to prevent your planning application being declared invalid.
Minor amendments
Sometimes, you may need to amend your application after it has been submitted. Minor amendments to main planning applications might take a few days, depending on the speed of your architect and the efficiency of the planning department.
Consultation
Once your application is validated, the Planning Department will consult with a number of interested parties. Delays can be caused, especially if an interested party has objected and further information is required in order for the application to proceed.
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