Submitting a Planning Application

The Development Control team offers pre-application advice through our pre-application service. It is more likely to lead to a positive outcome when your application is formally submitted, and at present there is no charge for this service. This service should be used where you are unsure as to whether the proposal could be supported in principle, preliminary identification and assessment of the constraints is needed, and where you need opinion on the proposed design.

Pre-application enquiries should be submitted in writing, along with appropriate plans and information to locate the site in question, describe and detail the proposal, and further clarification of the intentions for future use of the proposal. We prefer you to submit your query using the appropriate Pre-Application Enquiry Form, which can be emailed or posted to the address on the right.

In order to ensure your application is validated when submitted, there are a number of mandatory national requirements and further local requirements. These are fully set out in the Council's Planning Application Validation Requirements document.

However, as this document can be quite technical we have provided a summary of information commonly required along with examples of drawings here. Simple applications need only be accompanied by the forms, fee, drawings and a Design and Access Statement. As the proposal gets more complex, then more information is required and you are advised to make use of the  pre-application service if this is the case.

You may also need to serve Notice on landowners prior to submitting your application, and/or complete the relevant Certificate within the application form. You can find further guidance on Certificates and Notices here

You can submit your application in two manners:

• Submit digitally: you can complete an interactive form, upload your plans and information and make the payment online at the Planning Portal.
• Submit by post/hand: you can download the relevant application form(s) and post 3 copies of the forms, plans and information along with the payment by cheque to the address on the right.

Digital versus paper - by submitting digitally the Council will receive your application quicker and you will have a receipt to confirm this straightaway; we will able to correspond with you quicker; you will save the costs of printing multiple copies of plans and information as well as postage; and it will also help the environment! North Warwickshire Borough Council prefers that applications are submitted in this manner.

Once an application is received, it is checked to ensure it is valid. This will involve checking that the fee is correct (see below), that ownership certificates have been signed correctly; that forms are complete; and that required plans and information have been submitted. If there is a problem with your application, the Central Services team will contact you as soon as possible. Please note that your application will not be validated until all missing/incorrect information has been received/amended.

Upon validation of your application, you will receive a letter confirming the application reference, target date for decision (determination), and details of the Case Officer who will be your contact from that point forward.

Most applications require the submission of the relevant fee, which can vary depending on the application made. In some cases there is a set fee, in others it depends on the extent of the proposed development.

The Planning Portal offer a fees calculator which can assist in calculating the relevant fee for your application. You can also view the scale of charges for Planning Applications here. These are currently set nationally and regularly reviewed - the last update was 26th February 2010.

Please note that you are responsible for covering all other costs associated with your planning application (such as those in preparing drawings or reports, copying, postage and so forth).

Interested parties, such as neighbours, will be consulted on your proposal as well as statutory and technical consultees, such as the Highway Authority or Environment Agency. This brings a minimum 3 week delay in being able to issue a decision. The exception to this is where consultation is not required, or the type of application attracts a shorter consultation period.

The Case Officer will then take account of any representations made, and make an initial assessment against planning policy whilst accounting for any material considerations. You may wish to liaise with the Case Officer to ascertain their likely recommendation such that if any issues have been brought forward, that they can be addressed by way of amendments to your proposal.

Where representations contrary to the officer's recommendation have been received, the matter must be referred to local Councillors along with the chair and vice chair of the Planning and Development Board in accordance with our Scheme of Delegation. They will then decide whether it is necessary to determine the application at the next available meeting. The Case Officer will keep you informed of the outcome of this referral and, if necessary, the likely date of that meeting.

The Council introduced public speaking at the Board in November 2011. It is important to note that not all applications are presented to the Board, and consequently the right to speak only extends to those applications which are.

To establish whether an application is to be reported to the Board you should first check the agenda which will be published here 5 working days before the date of the meeting. If the application is being presented and you wish to speak, you will need to inform the Democratic Services Section at least two clear working days before the Board meeting, providing a brief outline of what you wish to say as well as the application reference number. They can be contacted by email or by phone on (01827) 719222.

The Council aims to determine all applications within 8 weeks, or 13 weeks where the application is of a major category. Prior determinations, non-material minor amendments and Conservation Area Consent applications for works to trees take less time.

When a decision is made the Council will issue a formal decision notice, which may have conditions attached. This will be sent to you or your agent (if you use one). It will also be published on the Online Planning Application Search facility along with a copy of the Case Officer's report which explains the reasons behind the decision made.

If your application is approved, you may find that conditions have been attached. There are generally two purposes for conditions - either to seek further detail of the proposal which was omitted from the submission but considered necessary to address consultee or officer concerns; or to control the use and/or construction of the development.

Such conditions can be framed in three types:

• Prior to commencement of development/works
• Prior to commencement of the use/occupation
• Controlling the use or construction of the development, or future development

The first two types may require the submission of further details to the Council. For this, you will be required to make a further application to discharge the requirements of the condition(s). This will incur a further, but lesser, fee, in which case you may wish to liaise with the Case Officer before a decision is made such that this information can form part of the approval.

The third type of condition may restrict you from carrying out development which does not normally need a planning application (known as 'permitted development'), or it may control the use of the property. You are advised that such conditions are noted, especially when it comes to selling your property at a later date.

Most planning applications carry a right of appeal. Your decision notice will outline these. Should you wish to appeal the Council's decision to refuse permission or grant permission subject to conditions, you may appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Further information on appealing your decision can be viewed here.

Please note that only the applicant may appeal against a planning decision.