Planning legislation states that all development (unless it is exempt) requires planning permission. To obtain planning permission, an application is made to the local planning authority.

The process

In deciding whether to grant planning permission, the authority will take into account many factors, including the policies set out in its development plan.

Day-to-day processing of planning applications is dealt with by the development control section of the local planning authority. Once permission has been granted, possibly with conditions attached, building work can proceed.

If the work does not meet with the specified conditions, the local authority may serve an ‘enforcement notice’, requiring works to be altered.

Key advice for access groups: Contact your local authority to explore opportunities for your group to become involved with the process. It is a requirement of the planning system that consultation with members of the public takes place, so make sure you highlight this fact when you get in touch.

Exemptions

Certain types of development do not require planning permission, either because they are not defined as ‘development’, or because they are ‘permitted developments’ under the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order 1995 (as amended).

Examples of exemptions include:

• temporary uses of land
• agricultural buildings below a certain size
• small scale alterations to single dwelling houses
• schemes that do not affect the external appearance of a building
• changes of use of a building from one type of use to another

Who deals with planning applications?

Planning applications are dealt with by the planning committee of your local authority. This committee is made up of councillors and officers. The planning officers prepare reports on each application for presentation to the committee.

These reports are available for public inspection once the agenda for the planning department has been published – about a week before the committee meeting. The comments that your group submits to the committee should be dealt with at their meetings. Your local authority may have produced a standard form for your comments so that the information is conveyed to all the relevant officers.

Note that detailed access requirements that are covered by Part M will be dealt with through Building Control and not the planning committee.