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Home > Planning > Planning applications and planning enforcement > Find out if you need planning permission

Find out if you need planning permission

Pre-application advice service

There are six key types of consent which may need to be sought through the planning system:

  • Planning permission relates to both changes of use and physical works to land, buildings and structures. Some projects do not require specific planning permission, as they are can be undertaken using ‘Permitted Development Rights’.
  • Prior Notification relates to certain proposals utilising ‘Permitted Development Rights’, which are required to seek ‘Prior Approval’ from the Local Planning Authority before works and/or a change of use take place.
  • Listed Building Consent relates to works both internally and externally on/within listed buildings and some structures within their grounds.
  • Advertisement Consent relates to signs and advertisements on the exterior of all buildings and land.
  • Works to Protected Trees – These are trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders and/or due to their location within a conservation area.
  • Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), which include some very large scale energy projects.

Some projects will require more than one form of consent.

Building Regulations are separate legislation from Planning.

Guidance on the need for consent

  • Guidance on the potential need for consent for many common householder projects via the Planning Portal Interactive House
  • Guidance relating to flats, shops and basements as well as many common householder projects, can be found via the Interactive Terrace
  • Guidance on the Permitted Development Rights for agricultural and forestry works

Please note that the Permitted Development Rights shown via the above links may be reduced or have been removed on your property.

The physical works and changes of use that you can undertake without the need for specific permission are reduced:

  • if the building has been altered or extended since July 1948
  • if an access is proposed on to a classified road
  • if the proposed works are to a Listed Building (and/or within its grounds at time of listing)
  • within a Designated Area
  • where these rights have been removed by an Article 4 Direction
  • where rights for physical alterations have been removed by a condition on the original planning permission for the property or a subsequent consent for alterations or additions
  • where rights for a change of use have been removed by a condition on the current planning permission for the building and/or land.

and/or:

  • the property was created through permitted development rights to change use from shops, financial and professional services premises or agricultural buildings, as these cannot use householder permitted development rights to improve, alter or extend homes

Further information on Permitted Development Rights and how to check whether they are applicable to your property

It is advisable to check at the outset with our planning office to see if permission is needed, by using our pre-application planning advice service.

In this section

  • Permitted development rights
  • Pre-application advice service
  • Before submitting a planning application
  • Advertisement consent
  • Contact us

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