Quick Guide
You should note that in most cases there is a charge for this
service. The exceptions are:
- Listed building consents that do not require planning
permission
- Enforcement or advice to any local resident affected by
development.
N.B. All requests for pre-application advice, whether fee paying
or free of charge, will need to be accompanied by the essential
information listed on the application form.
Please see fee details below:
Fee details
You will need to complete an application
form and provide us with enough information to enable us to
provide you with advice. A check list attached to the application
form tells you what you need to submit with your application.
- We will acknowledge receipt of your application within 7 days
(unless we are able to send you a full response quickly) and we
will provide you with a pre-application advice letter within 21 or
42 days (depending whether it is a minor or major proposal). Please
note that the advice we give will not include feedback from
consultees external to the City Council, however wherever possible
we will tell you which organisations you should contact for
additional advice.
The Service in Detail
What is the pre-application advice service?
Our pre-application advice service provides you with advice
before you submit an application to help you with preparation
issues.
The Local Government Act 2003 allows us to operate a scheme of
charging for discretionary services, e.g. pre-application advice on
certain types of development so that the costs of providing the
service do not fall to the Council taxpayer, and service can be
improved. (The current statutory planning application fees do not
cover the cost of pre-application advice).
What we will provide as part of the service:
- Consistency in dealing with your pre-application advice and any
subsequent applications for planning permission
- Information on key planning policies and previous planning
decisions
- Named contacts
- Advice in relation to all relevant planning matters and the
planning merits of the proposal
- Informal comments and guidance, which are without prejudice, on
the content, construction and presentation of an application likely
to satisfy the Council's planning policies
- Advice on the documents to be submitted with your planning
application and any procedures as necessary
We will not provide
- Detailed technical advice
- A plan drawing/design service
- Feedback from outside organisations that we may consult at
application stage ( but we will give you details of organisations
to contact if we think relevant)
Please note: The Council cannot give any weight to
pre-application advice more than one year old, or where there has
been significant change in policy or circumstances since the advice
was given.
The Benefits of Pre-Application Advice
- It explains how planning policies and other requirements affect
your proposals
- It identifies at an early stage any need for specialist input
(e.g. listed buildings, conservation areas, trees, noise, health,
highway issues)
- It gives an indication of the likely requirement for
contributions to be made by a developer (e.g. levels of affordable
housing, highways, education or any other payments)
- It helps you to prepare your planning application and provided
you take all the advice into account, your application will be
dealt with without unnecessary delay
- It reduces the time that you and your professional
staff/consultants spend on working up your proposals
- It highlights unacceptable proposals, thereby saving you the
time and costs of submitting a formal application
Please note: The pre-application advice you receive will help
you to submit a complete and accurate application for planning
permission which complies with the relevant policies, plans and
guidance. The pre-application advice will be taken into account but
it cannot guarantee that planning permission will be granted, for
example planning committees do not have to accept the officers’
recommendations.
Where pre-application advice is not followed subsequent planning
applications are likely to be determined without further
negotiations.
Fees and Charges
The fee covers all research time on a case (including a site
visit) by a Development Officer, meetings and a final written
response. For Category C proposals, a meeting will only be held at
the discretion of the case officer. Where additional Officers are
required at meetings to give specialist advice, there will be an
additional flat rate of £50.00 per hour or part thereof.
Payment Options
Initially:
By cheque (made payable to Peterborough City Council) or
following receipt of an acknowledgement letter containing a
"Pre-App” reference number by cheque (made payable to Peterborough
City Council), by credit/debit card by phoning 01733 453410 or by
credit/debit card
online.
The fee needs to be paid before a request for pre-application
advice will be processed.
How will the pre-application advice service work?
- Submit pre-application request form and payment (if payment is
made by cheque).
- We will write to you within 7 days to
acknowledge your request, and give you a reference number stating
the fee required if you have not already paid. If your
enquiry is straightforward and we are able to give you a full
response quickly, we will not send you the acknowledgement
letter.
- We will carry out research, carry out any
necessary consultations and usually carry out a site visit.
- We will contact you within 12 days from
receipt of payment (21 days for a major application) to arrange a
meeting (if necessary).
- For minor developments, we will provide you
with a written response to your enquiry within 21 days of receipt
of payment. If there are any reasons (such a complex issue
arising) which mean we cannot meet this deadline we will contact
you to advise you and agree a new timescale with you.
- For major developments we will provide you
with a written response within 42 days of payment. For major
projects and some major applications, target times for our response
will need to be negotiated.
- Our written response will include an outline
any actions you may need to take in order to make your application
valid and give details of any groups or organisations we think you
may need to consult with.
- Is further specialist advice required?
Do you wish to submit a revised pre-application proposal following
our full written response to your enquiry?
If yes, a further pre-application enquiry and
fee will need to be submitted and depending upon the proposal we
may arrange a meeting/further meeting. We will go through the
same procedures as outlined above. (We would hope to deal
with any second pre-application enquiry more quickly as we will
already be aware of many of the issues). You then submit a formal
application for planning permission/decide not to submit a formal
application, in light of our advice.
If no, you decide whether or not to submit a
formal application for planning permission in light of our
advice.
NOTE: Target dates are inclusive of
weekends/bank holidays e.g. 21 day response target for minor
enquiries equates to 15 working days.
What the applicant will need to provide in order for the
officer to be able to deal with the enquiry?
Apart from the correct fee, the applicant must provide
(essential), the following information:
- Site location plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500
- Drawings and sketch elevations at suitable scales eg.e.g. floor
plans at 1:100 or 1:50, elevations at 1:100 or 1:50, block plan at
1:500 and architectural detailing at 1:10 or 1:5 (particularly
relevant with proposed alterations to listed buildings)
- Written details of the proposals
- Draft outline of a Design and Access Statement
Other material such as photographs, site surveys, transport
assessment, flood risk assessment, environmental impact assessment,
draft green travel plan will be optional at this pre-application
stage. The more complex and large scale the proposal, however, the
more detail will be likely to be required.
Further Reference
The Planning Advisory Service
“A Material World – Charging for Pre-Application Advice”.