We deal with planning applications and
permission for all kinds of development within North
Somerset.
The simplest way to submit a planning application is online via
the
Planning
Portal website and close to 70% of our customers choose
this method. Registration is easy and you can complete your
application, upload your supporting documents and pay fees
online.
The benefits of applying online include:
- Immediate delivery and acknowledgement
- Savings on postage and printing costs
- Online help function when completing applications
- Online record of your completed applications
If you prefer, you can complete your application form online and
submit supporting documents and fees by post.
Please note a planning application cannot be progressed until
all necessary supporting information and the appropriate fee is
received.
Having established that planning permission is required and
depending on the nature of your application we aim to take
between eight and 13 weeks to make a decision.
There are three main types of planning permission including the
following:
- Full planning permission - Covers the majority of cases
including house extensions
- Outline planning permission - Establishes whether
developing a piece of land is acceptable, in
principle, without becoming involved in the expense of
preparing detailed plans
- Reserved matters - Refers to the submission of details
required by conditions following the granting of an outline
permission
However, consent can be required for a wide range of other areas
not normally associated with planning.
For further information please visit
our kinds of
applications page.
In August 2006, the rules governing outline applications
and reserved matters changed.
The five types of reserved matters now include layout,
scale, appearance, access and landscaping replacing siting, design,
means of access and external appearance
For further information and a definition of these terms please
visit the
Communities and
Local Government (CLG) website.
For all applications you will need to submit
accurate plans and scale drawings with your application
with further information available in our
validation
checklist (pdf).
We charge for dealing with planning applications. Our fees are
available in our downloadable
Planning fees (pdf).
There are some fee exemptions and you should contact us if
you are in any doubt.
If your application involves a
Listed Building or demolition of a building or structure within
a Conservation
Area you will probably have to apply for listed building
consent or conservation area consent. There are no charges for
these services.
Once your application is registered as a valid submission it
automatically becomes a matter of public record.
This means it can be viewed on our website or at our offices and
its details may also appear in local newspapers, signs erected on
or near the proposed development and in letters to local
residents.
Parish and town councils are also given copies to comment on and
may further publicise an application.
As a result, your application is also open to public comment and
we take into account all the relevant comments we receive from
these sources within a 21 day period of it being made public.
Consultations may also take place with organisations such as the
Institute of Highway Engineers,
the Environment
Agency, Wessex Water,
the Chartered Institute of Environmental
Health and English Nature
among others.
However, this does not mean your application will be refused and
the Government can only refuse permission if there are clear-cut
planning reasons for doing so.
In the first few weeks of your application, our planning
officers will visit the site to check the plans and assess the
impact of the proposal.
Once these consultation and assessment phases are over, your
application is then weighed against our Structure Plan and Local
Plans and other government policies.
Various other issues are also taken into account including:
- The scale and density of the proposed development
- The effect on neighbouring properties
- Retention of trees and other important landscape features
- The effect on visual amenity
- The intensity of use of the land
- Highway considerations and car parking
- Design and use of materials
For more information contact our
Development Management team.
