Planning permission
2. Request pre-application advice and guidance
Pre-planning application advice helps you to identify all the issues that maybe relevant to your planning proposal. If your site address falls within the boundary of South Downs National Park please visit South Downs National Park pre-application advice (opens new window).
We offer a range of services for different types of proposals.
- Planning Surgery Service
- Written Advice Service
- View planning constraints in your local area
- Planning guidance
Duty Planner Service no longer available
The council previously operated a duty planner service to provide brief advice on planning issues. The service was designed as a signposting service. It was not intended to advise callers if planning permission was or was not required, or if permission would or would not be granted, as there are formal processes for this. The council's website has been updated to provide helpful information for a wide range of proposals. Further information is available on the Planning Portal (opens new window).
If you want to know if planning permission is needed please visit 'Do I Need Planning Permission' service (opens new window), or Apply for planning permission (opens new window).
If you want to know if something that needs permission is likely to be granted, you should apply for pre-application advice using one of the services listed:
Planning Surgery Service
The Planning Surgery service allows for an up to 30 minute meeting with a Planning Officer to discuss a single proposal, to obtain broad advice on the merits of an initial proposal.
Book a planning surgery meeting
Planning Surgeries differ from the Written Pre-application Advice services in that they are designed for a discussion on broad advice for an initial proposal, and with a shorter time period than the Written Pre-Application Advice.
The scope of the Planning Surgery service means that if your proposals have developed beyond an initial proposal (for example you wish to discuss detailed elevations/layouts), then the Written Pre-application Advice services may be more appropriate for your enquiry as they are designed to allow for more detailed comments to be made on the merits of a scheme. If your proposal effects a listed building the fee is a little higher and an officer from the Design and Conservation Team will attend the surgery to provide general advice.
There are two different categories for Planning Surgeries based on the scale of the proposal:
- Planning Surgery (Householder) - for enquiries for development in the curtilage of a dwellinghouse which would fall within a Householder Planning Application
- Planning Surgery (Minors) - For enquiries which would fall within a Minor Planning Application
What to expect
- A 30 minute meeting to discuss a single case
- Meeting dates will be arranged at a mutually agreed date and time
- Officer will provide broad views on an initial proposal
- A summary of the advice will be emailed to you
- The advice will be made public if a subsequent application is received.
What not to expect
- A guaranteed outcome on a planning application
- An in-depth analysis of a specific proposal. If advice on a detailed proposal is required you should apply for written pre-application advice.
- Confirmation that a proposal would be permitted development.
- Views of consultees or other specialist advice (except where the proposal effects a listed building and an officer from the Conservation and Design team attends).
Planning Surgery Service fees
| Type of development | Timescale | Fee |
|---|---|---|
Planning Surgery (Householder) For enquiries for development in the curtilage of a dwellinghouse which would fall within a Householder Planning Application | Must be booked at least 5 days in advance | £200* |
Planning Surgery (Minors) For enquiries which would fall within a Minor Planning Application | Must be booked at least 5 days in advance | £350** |
|
*An additional fee of £100 will be required if the proposal effects a listed building, a member of the Conservation and Design Team will attend the surgery
** An additional fee of £150 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the Conservation and Design Team will attend the surgery
Written Advice Service
The written pre-application advice services allow for advice to be sought on the planning merits of a broad range of proposals, ranging from Householder Development to Major Developments.
Written pre-application advice can be requested online by completing the application form and paying the relevant fee depending on the type of development. The advice given will be based on the information provided, and at a very minimum we will require a location plan to be submitted.
Request planning pre-application advice
What to expect
- A formal written response in the form of a letter, email or notes of a meeting
- For minor proposals a 20 working days timescale for response
- For major proposals a bespoke timescale
- For major proposals a site visit and input from key consultees
- A full analysis of a proposal and officer opinion as to issues or merits of a particular proposal
What not to expect
- A site visit or meeting in every case. The need for a site visit for minor proposals will be determined by the case officer.
- A guaranteed outcome on a planning application
- Advice on whether the proposals would constitute permitted Development
Written Advice Service fees
| Development type | Fee | Fee for additional advice or meetings* |
|---|---|---|
Householder (enlargement, improvement or other alteration of an existing house) | £200 | £100 (meeting up to 30 mins) £150 (site meeting up to 30 mins) |
Householder (erection of outbuildings or other structures for ancillary purposes, and gates wall or other means of enclosure) | £100 | £100 (up to 30 mins) £150 (site meeting up to 30 mins) |
Shop Fronts | £100 | £100 (meeting up to 30 mins) £150 (site meeting up to 30 mins) |
| Businesses at Home, advice on the planning merits of a business use within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse. | £225 | £100 (meeting up to 30 mins) £150 (site meeting up to 30 mins) |
| Replacement Dwellings, advice on the planning merits of a business use within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse. | £325 | £100 (meeting up to 30 mins) £150 (site meeting up to 30 mins) An additional £100 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
| Small Scale Minor, e.g. 1-3 dwellings, non-residential (less than 500m2 gross floor space). | £475 | £150 (meeting up to 30 mins) £200 (site meeting up to 30 mins)
An additional £150 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
| Large Scale Minor, e.g. 4-9 dwellings, non-residential (500-999m2 gross floor space). | £950 | £250 (meeting up to 45 mins) £300 (site meeting up to 45 mins)
An additional £200 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
| Small Scale Major, e.g. 10-24 dwellings, non-residential (1000m2 - 1999m2 gross floor space). | £2,000 | £325 (meeting up to 1hr) £375 (site meeting up to 1 hr)
An additional £250 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
| Medium Scale Major, e.g. 25-99 dwellings, non-residential (2000m2 - 4999m2 gross floor space). | £4,000 | £375 (meeting up to 1hr) £400 (site meeting up to 1 hr)
An additional £300 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
| Large Scale Major, e.g. 100+ dwellings, non-residential (greater than 4999m2 gross floor space). | £8,000 | £400 (meeting up to 1hr) £500 (site meeting up to 1 hr)
An additional £350 will be required if the scheme effects a listed building, a member of the conservation & design team will attend the meeting |
* The fees for additional advice or meetings are chargeable for each additional meeting agreed between the parties. Fees for any additional meetings following validation of the pre-application enquiry must be paid in advance of the meeting. The fees for additional meetings do not include the fee for a Development Manager or the Divisional Manager to attend. If they are requested to attend the meeting an additional fee of £100 per hour will be charged for the Development Manager and £125 per hour will be charged for the Divisional Manager.
View planning constraints in your local area
You can view planning constraints in your area, by using our interactive web mapping system.
Planning guidance
Before drawing up a proposal you should consider relevant Planning Policy (opens new window).
When we provide pre-application advice we will tell you when you will likely need to provide support your planning application. The council's local validation list explains in detail what supporting information is required with the wide range of applications that we deal with. This document includes details of when supporting information is required, what should be included in the supporting information and links to additional guidance.
More information about specific requirements for habitat regulation and ecology issues, such as water neutrality and nutrient neutrality can be found in under Trees, biodiversity and ecology.
Advice about design, including sustainability, and heritage matters (including archaeology) can be found under design and heritage.
Pre-Application Advice Charging Scheme May 2025 (Word doc, 310 KB)
Member engagement in pre-application enquiries May 2025 (Word doc, 16 KB)
Contact Planning Services
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