planning application lichfield

Has your planning application been refused?

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Don’t give up.

Hestia Planning will look for weaknesses within the refusal or strengths in your application that need to be better highlighted and pull together a case to support your application.

Around 70,000 planning applications are refused in England & Wales every year. Only 20% of those decisions are appealed – most people just give up.

We understand that a refused planning application can leave you feeling frustrated. A planning appeal is your one opportunity to completely over-turn the Councils refusal and gain planning permission, irrespective of what the Council think should happen.

What can you appeal against?

An appeal can be submitted by an applicant in respect of the majority of planning related decisions made by a local planning authority, this includes:

  • Planning applications for development
  • Applications for consent to display advertisements
  • Applications for works to listed buildings
  • Applications for works in conservation areas
  • Application for certificate of lawful use or development
  • Applications for works to trees covered by a tree protection order
  • Against an enforcement notice requiring remediation of a breach of planning control

There are a three variations of planning appeal: Written representations, hearings and public inquiries.

The most common appeal is a written representation appeal, however we will assess the planning application and advise on the type of appeal required for the best chance of success.

How we can help

Hestia Planning has wide-ranging expertise in the planning inspectorate appeals and drafting grounds of appeal statements. Our experienced RTPI Consultants will prepare your statements with the assistance of other professional consultants where necessary.

Get in touch with a certified RTPI consultant on 07463136687 or email hestia.planning@outlook.com

Advice on your Refusal

Are you unsure whether an appeal might succeed and would like one of our consultants to take a look at the Council’s decision?

For a fee of £99, Hestia Planning will look at your plans, some satellite images of your property and the surrounding area and all of the details of the council’s decision. We will then provide you with a written opinion of whether the decision was justified.

Talk to us about our case review service.

How long does it take to get Planning Permission?

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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.

If you think you may need planning permission, then get in touch with Hestia Town Planning for a discussion about how we can help.