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When Is Planning Permission Required?

Permitted Development

As a starting point all works, other than those which are very minor ("de minimis") or otherwise specifically excluded by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 from the definition of development, require planning permission. However, a general planning permission has been granted by the Secretary of State in the form of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995) (as amended) which effectively gives an automatic permission for a range of operations ("permitted development"), subject to the works satisfying a number of criteria. As such, extensions to dwellings or the erection of buildings within gardens, for example, often do not require an application for planning permission to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority.

For guidance on the circumstances in which planning permission is not required, the Planning Portal website includes Interactive Householder Guides covering most domestic projects. These provide a useful summary of the permitted development rights.

However, there are a number of circumstances whereby the usual permitted development rights may not apply, so if you are in any doubt as to whether you need planning permission, and to help you give us the information we need, we have put together a set of Preliminary Enquiry Forms for you to complete, depending upon the type of development.

Quick Links to the forms are available below. For further information please scroll down.

Where sketches can be send electronically please send with the forms to development.control@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or alternatively you can complete a paper copy of the form and send it to Council Offices, Whitwick Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3FJ for the attention of the Development Control Manager.

Once we have looked at the proposal we will write or email to let you know if you need planning permission. This is normally done within five working days of the receipt of the form. The Council does not charge for this service.

You may also need approval under the Building Regulations. You can contact a Building Control 01530 454692/548 or alternatively you can e-mail Building Control at building.control@nwleicestershire.gov.uk

Further Information

Householder Developments

This can include extensions, alterations to the original dwellinghouse and proposals within the curtilage of the original dwellinghouse. Download and complete the PDF Document Planning Permission Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb).
(Please note that the sample location plan is a sample only and will not be specific to your house)

For alterations to, and insertion, of windows please complete the PDF Document Window Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Vehicular Access For a new or altered vehicular access of creation of a hard surface please complete the PDF Document Preliminary Enquiry Form - Vehicular Access (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

For satellite dishes please fill out the PDF Document Microwave Antenna Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb). Please also indicate where the proposal will be fitted for example chimney, roof etc and if there are any other satellite antenna on the dwellinghouse or within its curtilage. The Planning Portal also includes advice on satellite,TV and radio antennas (domestic premises only) which provides a useful summary of the permitted development rights set out in the GPDO as well as a miniguide.

Change of Use If this related to childminding please complete the PDF Document Childminding Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb).

For converting garages to living accommodation the PDF Document Planning Permission Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb) should be completed.

Non-Domestic Development

Permitted development rights also apply to a range of other types of premises. Alterations and extension to a commercial property (e.g. a shop or public house) require planning permission.

For more information on the requirement for planning permission for non-domestic development; advice in respect of common development projects can be found on the Planning Portal.

Signage

The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 issue a "deemed consent" to a range of advertisements which satisfy certain criteria. Again, this can be viewed on the OPSI website. The DCLG website also provides a Guide for Advertisers, summarising these rights. If the sign fails to satisfy the criteria the display of signs or other forms of advertisement it may require Advertisement Consent.

There is no set form to fill out however, you can write to the Head of Planning and Development at the Council Offices with the following information; Name and contact details, address of the site, what the proposal is and the amount proposed, the size of the proposal, the size of the lettering or symbols, whether it is illuminated, a sketch of the sign and a plan indicating where the proposal would be located.

Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings

In addition to the need or otherwise for planning permission, works affecting a listed building or Conservation Area may also require Listed Building Consent or Conservation Area Consent. For more information on this or other conservation issues, visit the Conservation page.

Trees

Trees Works affecting trees may also require approval. For more information, visit the Trees page.

Again, should you be in any doubt as to whether or not consent is required, please write to the Head of Planning and Development at the Council Offices.

Last updated: Mon 15th April, 2013 @ 08:32

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