What is a pre-application?

A pre-application is a process to check if you are likely to gain planning permission before submitting a detailed planning application.

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What types of pre-application are there?

There are two common types of pre-application. You could either have a pre-application site meeting with a planning officer from the Local Authority. Or you can obtain written advice from the Planning Officer from submitting information such as proposals.

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Is there a cost involved for a pre-application?

Yes, there is a cost involved for having pre-application advice or a written response.

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What is the benefit of a pre-application?

Pre-application advice will provide an planning officer's view on the proposals and can normally speed up the planning process as any potential problems (or planning constraints) can be resolved before submitting a detailed planning application.

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Will a pre-application be published online?

Normally pre-applications are private however some councils would like to discuss proposals to the parish council publicly but this is subject to your request.

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We have had pre-application advice from the Planning Officer what we are thinking of building but can not guarantee permission, why is that?

The planning officer may not guarantee planning permission until a detailed planning application with the appropriate drawings and documentation is submitted. They will offer constructive advice, raise any potential planning issues to overcome and whether submitting an application will be supportive from the council.

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Is it necessary to have a pre-application for a householder extension?

A majority of householder extensions do not require a pre-application however if the building is Listed, or may impact on a listed building, it maybe worth submitting a pre-application to gain the thoughts of the planning officer before submitting a planning application.

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I am thinking of building a development of one or two houses in my large garden, would you recommend a pre-application?

Yes, I would recommend submitting a pre-application to the Local Authority along with drawings and documentation illustrating the proposals.

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How much does a householder pre-application cost?

Swindon Borough Council charge £75 for a written response and £100 for a meeting on site followed up with written advice. Wiltshire Council, Cotswolds District Council and West Oxfordshire all charge differently.

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How long does a written pre-application take to respond from the Council?

A householder written response normally takes 21 days. Depending on the comments received from the Council, can we determine whether the proposal is supportive or unacceptable. If the proposal is supportive from the Council, there maybe amendments to the proposal in order to gain the best chance of achieving planning permission.

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