Advice before You Submit Your Planning Application

Benefits of using the Pre-Application planning advice service

 

Planning Officers, Council Members, developers and professional agents recognise the value of constructive informal advice in shaping and progressing development proposals.

Planning advice can help positively shape schemes before too much time and money has been invested.  Furthermore it can help to identify schemes at an early stage which planning officers do not believe are likely to gain planning permission.

Through the pre-application advice service we aim to achieve the following:

• To identify the adopted (and where necessary emerging policies) relevant to development proposals;
• To identify relevant material planning considerations;
• To identify the external consultees, amenity groups and residents with whom you should engage;
• To confirm ‘local requirement’ documents which need to be submitted as part of an application;
• To provide an indication of the likely financial contributions (if any) which will be sought;
• To provide where possible a clear indication as to whether or not officers believe the proposal is likely to receive a favourable recommendation in the light of current policies and circumstances;
• Where the scheme is not considered acceptable, to provide guidance on what needs to be done to address concerns, if they are capable of being addressed.

Charges for providing pre-application advice

 

Fareham Borough Council will provide pre-application advice on the following proposals free of charge:

• Proposals involving householder extensions and alterations. For the avoidance of doubt this includes all outbuildings, granny annexes, extensions, roof extensions and alterations, hardstandings, satellite dishes, solar panels and similar energy efficiency proposals provided at a residential property in connection with the enjoyment of the property;
• Proposals on behalf of community uses which are non-profit making;
• Works relating solely to trees;
• Works relating solely to Listed Buildings;
• Advertisements directly related to a small business;
• Lawful Use Certificates.

All other categories of development will be subject to a charge on a scale depending on type and size (see link to fee details in the checklist for proposals subject to a charge, below).

How do I seek pre-application advice?

Follow the links to the appropriate application form in the following two paragraphs:

 

‘No Charge’ Proposals

 

If your enquiry relates to one of the proposals set out above for which the Council provides free advice, please print off and complete a form for pre-application advice (67Kb) and return it to us by post or attach the form and details to an email to customerservices@fareham.gov.uk .  We will contact you direct if there is a need for us to clarify any part of your proposal.  Please remember that the level of advice we can provide to you is directly linked to the information you provide.  If you only provide very basic information it is highly likely that we will only be able to provide broad comments and guidance.  We will endeavour to provide you with a written response within 25 working days of receiving your enquiry.

Proposals Subject to a Charge

 

If your enquiry relates to one of the proposals for which we make a charge, please print off and complete a ‘form for pre-application advice for which a fee is payable’ (68Kb) and return it to us by post or attach the form and details to an email to customerservices@fareham.gov.uk .  As a minimum your form should be accompanied by the following:

• The relevant fee to accompany your pre-application advice request .
• A 1:1250 location plan clearly identifying the site
• A planning statement setting out the proposals and the main issues you would like particular clarification upon;
• Photograph(s) of the site and its surroundings;
• Sketch proposals of elevations/layouts to appropriate scales;
• Schedules of existing buildings, uses and floor spaces (where appropriate);
• A completed 'Building for Life' assessment if your enquiry relates to a detailed proposal for residential development which contains 15 units or more.

The foregoing represents the minimum level of information that should accompany your request.  If this information is not provided we will decline to accept your request and will return your fee and any paperwork to you.  Please ensure that you submit all drawings/statements etc you would like us to consider at the same time you submit your form and fee.  If you subsequently submit plans and statements to us we are likely to decline to consider them without a further fee.

Please bear in mind that the quality of the advice we can give is dependent upon the information you provide.  If you only provide superficial statements and plans, our advice is likely to be broad and with extensive caveats.  If you provide thorough plans and statements we will be able to give more focused advice.

We are happy to deal with your request by way of either a meeting or solely in writing. Please let us know which you would prefer. If you ask us to deal with your request by way of a meeting we will not provide you with a written response.  You are however welcome to take minutes of the meeting and submit them to the case officer for comment/agreement.  We will not make any further charge for this particular service.

Each pre-application request can only relate to one site and only one proposal will be accepted for each site. If you would like us to give you advice on more than one layout or proposal for the same site then a separate request will need to be made for each scheme (along with a further fee for each proposal).

                                                                                                   

What the Council will do following receipt of proposals for which a charge has been made

 

We will acknowledge receipt of your proposals, letting you know the officer who will be dealing with it and the date they intend to respond to you by.

Any meetings will be fronted by a planning officer of at least Principal Officer level or above.  The decision as to which officer will deal with each request will be made by either of Development Management Team Leaders and/or the Head of Development Management.

The allocated officer will assess the proposal in relation to:-

• Government guidance/policy;
• Adopted planning policies (and where relevant emerging polices) and;
• Any relevant planning history.

Consultations will be undertaken with relevant sections and departments within Fareham Borough Council as considered necessary by the allocated case officer.  Consultation responses from internal consultees will be provided within written responses.  Where you have asked us to deal with your request by way of a meeting, internal consultees may be invited if the case officer believes this is necessary.

Site visits will not be undertaken as a matter of course and will be left solely to the discretion of the officer dealing with the case.  You are strongly encouraged to make sure that the photographs you submit identify any key site features relevant to your proposals.

Where a scheme is considered unacceptable in principle it will be at the discretion of the officer dealing with your proposals as to whether or not they comment on detailed aspects of the proposal.

We will endeavour to provide a response to all Level 2 and 3 developments (as described within the fees list) within 25 working days.

We will also endeavour to provide a response to all Level 1 development (as described within the fees list) within 25 working days if at all possible.  If it is clear we will not be able to provide an answer within this timescale we will let you know why not and when we hope to provide an answer by.

All written responses will be agreed with either of the Team Leaders within Development Management and/or the Head of Development Management prior to despatch.

You are welcome to contact the case officer to clarify any written points raised without further charge.

Where pre-application advice has been provided it will be brought to the attention of the Planning Committee or officers acting under delegated powers if you choose to submit a formal planning application.

If you wish to submit further details for comment or wish to meet the planning officer to discuss revisions after we have provided comments on your proposal, a further fee will be payable (as described at the foot of the fees list).

Duty Planning Officers

 

Development Management will continue to provide a Duty Officer service between 9am and 1pm, Mondays to Fridays. Whilst the Duty Officer will continue to provide guidance on pre-application proposals for those developments we do not charge for, they will no longer provide advice in respect of proposals now subject to a charge.

What we cannot provide

Whilst we will endeavour to provide you with thorough pre-application advice we must stress that it is the informal advice of officers and is not binding upon the Council when it makes a formal decision.

Even though planning officers may indicate that in their view your proposals are acceptable they cannot guarantee that planning permission will be granted. In taking a final decision upon applications the Planning Committee will need to have regard for all relevant matters including representations from third parties.

It should also be noted that if there has been a material change in circumstances or new information comes to light after the date of the advice being provided this will affect the weight given to any informal pre-application advice.

If you have any questions about the pre-application advice service please email us on planningadvice@fareham.gov.uk or telephone us on 01329 236100.