Frequently Asked Questions

To help our "new to planning" customers look ahead and get an understanding of timescales, costs and other aspects of securing planning consent we have put togther this FAQ guide. If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us by email

1. What are the stages of a typical customer's planning project, what order do activities normally happen in?

In our experience many straightforward projects will follow a similar pattern of events.

• Research and seeking assistance, appoint a professional
• Survey, measure and check physical site features
• Design and decision making, considering budget 
• Pre planning advice from local authority planning department (optional)
• Application submitted to local authority and fees paid
• Council consultations and discusions over proposals
• Decision issued
• If approved, deal with any planning conditions and proceed to pre construction stage with your contractor.

2. Is it always necessary to have pre application advice?

No, for straightforward projects it is not necessary and for more complex situations it is at the customers discretion as it does reduce the risk of costly design change later in the project. Council advice can take a number of weeks to be returned and is chargeable which can affect decision making for those customers with time constraints.

3. How long does a planning application typically take?

A typical straightforward planning application is handled by the local authority in 8 weeks. This covers almost all house extensions and other common application types. There are instances where an extension of time is required . Complex applications which require very detailed supporting information can take longer to be determined as can those projects which are dealt with by planning committee. 

4. Will I have to wait for the next committee meeting?

Not normally, due to the high volumes of applications a local authority has to deal with most straightforward applications are dealt with under delegated powers, meaning the planning officers make a decision without the need to wait for a committee meeting.

5. What happens in the 8 week period?

In the first 4 weeks of an application neighbours and statuatory organisations (such as the coal authority) are consulted on the proposals. The 8 week period begins once the application is validated and is not from the date of submission.

6. What is validation?

Validation is a council checking procedure that checks the suitability of an application before it is accepted by the planning department. It is not uncommon for those attempting a DIY planning application to encounter correspondance from the local authority stating their application is invalid at this point. This can be for a number of reasons, such as non payment ofr incorrect fee but more likley that the required mandatory documentation has not been met or is not to the required standard. The planning process has grown more complicated and technically challenging with additional legislation and IT over the years. Seeking the services of a professional is advised as they are familiar with the process and its many requirements simply to get an application accepted.

7. What drawings and reports are mandatory for an application? 

Gone are the days where an application could be made with a couple of sheets of A4 and a red pen! All applications need a properly completed form and site location plan, typically 1:1250 scale as a minimum and the requirements escalate from there depending on application type.

For example a house extension will require "before and after" floor plans and elevations which show what the proposals look like as well as firm decisions on what materials are to be used.

Examples of the types of drawings required for planning can be found here

Homes in conservation areas and other more complicated application types will require more detailed information.  There are over 30 different types of supplementary information the planning authority can ask an applicant to provide and these costs fall to the applicant.  These can include risk assessments and surveys for protected animals such as bats and newts, tree, flooding, coal mining risk documentation and much more so it is best to seek further advice when planning your project. 

8. How much do I have to pay the council for the application?

The cost of paying the local authority for a planning application depends on the type of application, size and online administration charges.  As an illustration a house extension will be around £325 and a new individual 4 bedroom house would be £645.

An easy to use application fee calculator for all application types is available on the national planning portal here

9. What happens if my neighbours object?

Thankfully getting along socially with your neighbours is not a requirement of securing planning consent. Whilst it is good practice to consult your neighbours prior to submitting an application, there is no formal requirement to do so.

Your neighbours enjoy the freedom to say what they will about your proposals and submit objections or support online. However the only parts of their objection which can be formally taken into account by planning decision makers are genuine planning issues such as problems with safety, privacy, access, amenity and the like so a well advised and well prepared application can in many cases proceed to approval despite multiple neighbour objections.

10. What happens if the council thinks the design needs changes to get approved, do I have to wait another 8 weeks and apply again?

No, in many cases minor changes to the design brought about by consulations during the 8 week period can often be dealt with by a short extension of time of 2-3 weeks.

11. If consent is granted, how long does it last?

A planning consent lasts for 3 years. You must commence the work within that period, however there is no limit on how long it takes to build and complete your project, i.e the end of construction work can fall outside of the 3 year window.

12. What are planning conditions?

Often when consent is granted, conditions are applied to ensure required standards are met. These can be general stipulations, such as opening hours or more complex details requiring further submissions before work begins on site or before a building is occupied.

13. Does planning consent belong to the original applicant or to the land or buildings it relates to?

Planning permission relates to the land, not the original applicant, and anyone can implement an approval so long as they have sufficient interest in the land, abide by planning conditions and where applicable don't breach the original designer's copyright.  In other words, you cannot own a planning permission, even if you paid the money to make the application.

14. What else do I need to consider when thinking about extending my home?

Party wall consent, CDM, right to light etc with links aand finally building regulation approval.

15. I have had an enforcement letter from planning , what should I do?

Firstly don't panic. The local authority will allow reasonable timescales within which to deal with the situation. Secondly, appoint a professional to deal with the matter who will be able to give you practical advice and help until the problem is resolved. Ignoring enforcement notices will not end the situation so it is best to be pro active and engage with the local authority. In some cases compromise can be met by way of a retrospective application, however there are no guarantees.  It is less costly to seek approval before undertaking development work. 

16. I have had a letter from the council about a nearby application, what should I do?

Panic. Remember to submit any representation you wish to make, whether in objection or support, within the deadline.

17. Where can I find details of a planning application which has been submitted in my local area?

You can search by postcode or map in County Durham using the local authority search system found here

18. Do you need to own the land or building to be able to submit a planning application on it?

No, an application can be made on land you do not own, however a formal notice must be served on the owner of the land or buildings in advance.

19. I'm planning to buy a property, can I apply for planning before the completion of sale?

You can apply for planning consent and serve notice, otherwise you must own for 28 days.

20. If I consider my project to be a temporary building does that mean I don't need planning?

Temporary buildings are somewhat of an urban myth, in reality 28 days is the limit.

21. I didn't get planning approval for work I have done or am unsure but plan to sell my property in the future, what can I do?

Depending on the timescales involved since the development and the nature of the work there are methods to sucessfully resolve this so problems arent encountered by conveyancers which deter potential buyers. Seek professional guidance and remember to think ahead as resolving the situation will take some time.

22. I think there are drains on my land, does this mean I can't extend my house?

Not necessarily, many people are unecessarily wary of extending when they see inspection chamber covers on their land or garden. Once investigated properly many drains can be easily accommodated in proposals, diverted or redesigned. Check the paperwork that came with your property as a starting point to look for water authority plans and seek professional advice before being deterred, it might not be the scale of problem you think!

23. Do Aycliffe Planning Services just do planning information, what about construction drawings and building regulations?

We do not undertake construction drawings or building regulations applications on domestic extension projects, ordinarily your builder will submit a building notice to the relevant local authority and liaise with the building inspector until completion without the need for assistance.  

We do not undertake construction drawings or building regulations applications on large or commercial projects and once planning is secured you will need to appoint a surveyor or technician to oversee this phase of your project. 

24. Are planning drawings in paper or digital format? 

All work produced by us is in digital format and issued to you and the others involved in the process by email, typically in pdf format. The use of paper drawings is no longer widespread and is not normally included in our work.