Planning advice

Do I need planning permission?

The council is unable to provide informal written or verbal advice on whether or not a proposal requires planning permission, however guidance is available from the Planning Portal Interactive House.

If you require formal written confirmation of whether a planning application is required, you can apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development - Proposed. 

Planning pre-application advice

For proposals that require a planning application, we offer a pre-application advice service. We strongly recommend that pre-application advice is sought before submitting an application as we operate a front loading approach.

This means that there is an expectation that pre-application advice is sought prior to submitting an application. We will not normally enter into discussions with applicants or accept amendments on a live application except where only very minor amendments or a small amount of additional information would be needed to overcome issues. It is important to engage with us at the pre-application stage and it may greatly increase your chances of gaining planning permission. Discussions during the live application stage will not normally take place where:

• The development is unacceptable in principle.

• A substantial redesign will be needed to make it acceptable, which would require re-consultation.

• Clear pre-application advice has been given, but the applicant has not followed that advice.

• No pre-application advice has been sought.

• The development does not comply with the Development Plan or other published standards.

• The additional information could not reasonably be returned to the Council within 14 working days.

As part of our pre-application service we can:

• Meet with you to discuss your proposal where necessary - more complex minor proposals and major proposals.
• Give an indication of the acceptability or otherwise of a proposal and how likely it is that planning permission would be granted.
• Advise on how a proposal can be amended or improved to make it more likely to gain planning permission or offer alternative solutions.
• Set out the relevant planning policy considerations.
• Consult relevant consultees e.g. the Local Highway Authority and highlight any issues raised.
• Set out what supporting documentation your application will need.
• Set out the above in a written response.

Timescales for responses will vary depending on the complexity of the proposal or site.

We aim to respond as follows:

• Householder proposals – up to 4 weeks
• Simple minor proposals – up to 6 weeks
• Complex minor and major proposals - expected timescales would be set out by the case officer at the point of validation.

Please complete the pre-application advice request form below, the form also has details of what information you will need to submit with a pre-application enquiry.

Fees are shown in the planning pre-application advice fees table further down this page.

Design PAD

To help ensure that the quality of development reaches the requirements of the Peterborough Local Plan, the National Planning Policy Framework and the National Model Design Guide, the council has established a monthly Planning and Design Review Panel called Design PAD.

We recognise that good design includes a collaborative approach across a number of different overlapping disciplines. The Design PAD brings together applicants and relevant experts, to appraise and provide advice and guidance on major proposals in a collaborative setting to help shape development.

Pre-application enquiries for major proposals include the opportunity for landowners and developers to present their proposals directly to planning officers and key consultees at the Design PAD meeting and engage in a round table discussion. Major proposals are those with 10 dwellings or above and 1000sqm floorspace and above, or schemes considered to be particularly sensitive. 

Key consultees attending Design PAD meetings include:

• The Local Highway Authority
• Lead Local Flood Authority
• The council Pollution Control Officer
• The council Open Space Officer
• The council Tree Officer
• The council Ecologist
• The case officer and other consultees as required, for example heritage, affordable housing or consultant urban designer.  

Planning applications which are subject to a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) also include Design PAD. Attendance at additional or one off Design PAD meetings can also be arranged for a fee.

Planning performance agreements - PPAs

The council strongly encourages the use of planning performance agreements, especially for major proposals – both at the pre-application and planning application stages.

PPAs enable us to target resources and progress complex major proposals, with a focus on agreed timetables, collaborative working, problem solving and proactive project management.

Fees are bespoke for each project and are calculated on the basis of officer hourly rates for all activities or services over and beyond the council’s statutory duties.

Listed buildings

For advice on whether listed building consent is required and guidance on methods of repair contact the Conservation Team by email conservation@peterborough.gov.uk.

Pre-application advice for listed building proposals is offered, fees are shown in the planning pre-application advice fees table further down this page.

As part of this service we can:

• Meet with you on site to discuss your proposal where necessary.
• Provide an indication of how likely it is that listed building consent would be granted.
• Where possible, advise on how a proposal can be amended or improved to make it more likely to gain listed building consent or offer alternative solutions.
• Advise on the relevant consultees for any forthcoming application
• Set out the relevant legislative and policy considerations.
• Set out what supporting documentation your application will need.
• Set out the above in a written response.

We aim to provide a written response within 3-6 weeks of submission.

Planning pre-application advice fees

The following table of fees is valid from 1 January 2024, all fees shown in are inclusive of VAT. 

Dwellings - including change of use to dwellings

Commercial and non-residential - including minerals and waste 

Listed buildings

Discharge of conditions

Other fees

*Please note: Design PAD is included in the fee for all pre-application advice for major proposals

Make a payment for planning pre-application advice

If you know how much you need to pay for your planning pre-application advice enquiry you can go straight to the payments screen by clicking on the Pay Online button.

You will need to provide either your reference number or the first line of the site address to enable us to link your payment to the correct application