Pre application advice

Pre-Application Advice

The Planning Department provides pre-application advice in the form of written advice and/or pre-application meetings via Microsoft Teams.

General

The following explains the arrangements for providing more detailed advice, including those cases where we make a charge.  Early advice can help identify:

• whether in principle a proposal is likely to be acceptable
• the key planning issues and policies that need to be considered
• where the applicant may need further specialist advice to help prepare the application
• what changes may be needed to any draft proposals

Such advice can save an applicant time in preparing the application and also the time taken by the Council to make a decision on it.  In the case of proposals with little prospect of approval early advice can avoid further abortive work. It can also quickly identify solutions to problems and therefore save costs.

Pre-Application Planning Advice and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Disclosing information on pre-application discussions

Although the Council does not automatically publicise the details of pre-application discussions with potential developers, under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 we may receive from time to time a request from a member of the public to provide information regarding enquiries for pre-application advice and of any advice given. Subject to certain exemptions, we are obliged to provide this information, although personal contact details are protected under the Data Protection Act.

The exemptions relate to commercially sensitive and confidential information. It is therefore important that you bring to the Council's attention at the outset in writing any information which you consider may, if disclosed, prejudice your commercial interests or which you consider would breach confidentiality. You should also set out the reasons why and for what period you consider the information falls into these categories. It is then for the Council to decide whether it believes the information falls into these exempt categories, if Freedom of Information request or Environmental information is subsequently received.

We may also treat as exempt from disclosure information which, if disclosed, may prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. This can be particularly relevant at the outset of major applications where a lot of exploratory discussion takes place. If the disclosure of this exploratory information was likely to prejudice the process of leading to a proper determination of the subsequent planning application, then it may not be disclosable.

Apart from these exemptions any other recorded information resulting from these pre-application discussions is very likely to be disclosable.

What advice is free?

The different types of advice we will provide at no charge:

• whether there are preserved trees on a site or if trees are protected by being in a Conservation Area;
• whether a building is statutorily 'Listed' or on the Council's 'Local List';
• how to make a planning application, applications for work to preserved trees, or applications for Listed Building and other consents;
• how to object to a planning application;
• details about processes and timescales in making planning decisions;
• planning policies and documents that may be relevant to particular types of proposal;
• other general factual queries;
• verbal advice on planning policies and supplementary planning guidance for householder proposals (this will not include any background research);
• general advice on permitted development allowances for householders (this is an informal officer opinion only which is subject to other restrictions, including conditions and permitted development rights which will not be checked by the duty officer);

We offer a duty session for general planning enquiries where you can speak to the Duty Planning Officer over the telephone. A Planning Officer will be available on the following days and times:

• Monday:  10am - 12pm
• Wednesday:  10am - 12pm
• Friday:  10am - 12pm

Telephone 01784 446282

Please note that if the Duty Officer is engaged on another call, please leave your name, telephone number and a short message on the voicemail and they will contact you as soon as possible. 

The Duty Planning Officer telephone is only available on the above days/times.  If you try to call outside these hours/days, the number above will not connect you. 

We can be contacted by:

• Telephoning Customer Services on 01784 451499
• Telephoning the Duty Planning Officer on the days/times specified
• Emailing the Planning inbox -  planningdm@spelthorne.gov.uk
• Sending a letter by post to the Planning Department, Spelthorne Borough Council, Knowle Green, Staines TW18 1XB

What advice we make a charge for:

We charge for more detailed advice which takes up more of our officer's time.  However, we may decline to provide further advice where we have already indicated that in principle a proposal has no chance of approval.  

Please note that the Planning Officer will only provide written advice. 

Pre application meetings (via Teams or site visit) are only offered for larger developments or new dwellings.

• Householder Proposals:  This covers advice on all extensions to residential property garage conversions, outbuildings and ancillary structures such as walls and fences.  Any request for whether planning permission is required for a change of use should be submitted as a Lawful Development Certificate rather than a planning enquiry
• Trees included in a Tree Preservation Order:  We are able to offer a service to advise on surgery or felling for a particular tree(s) and this will include a site visit.  This will include a ground level visual inspection only.  This will give you impartial technical advice to help you apply for any work that may be needed and assist you in specifying exactly what your tree surgeon needs to do to a tree
• Listed Buildings and Buildings in Conservation Areas:  We are able to give specialist advice on proposed alterations and appropriate repairs
• Dropped Kerbs: Confirmation on whether the proposed access is on a classified road or if there are any other restrictions that may require planning permission
• All Other Proposals, including Other Residential and Non Residential Developments. This can relate to new residential developments, flat conversions, replacement dwellings, commercial developments, advertisements, enquiries on existing use of property/site
• Research.  If you wish to obtain the planning history of a property or site, you may do so by searching the Council's planning records via Planning Public Access .  However, if you require us to do this on your behalf, there will be an initial hourly charge.  If any additional work is carried out, the Officer will advise you if any further fee is required. This type of enquiry will require the Planning Officer to investigate and research all information before they are able to provide you with a written response.

When the planning enquiry form, plans/drawings (if required) and receipt of payment have been received, it will be registered and allocated to a Planning Officer to advise you accordingly. For Pre-application advice, meetings will be arranged directly by the allocated Planning Officer. Please note that some pre planning and research enquiries may take longer to process than others.  This will depend on the type of planning enquiry and also on the Officer's case load.  We will endeavour to deal with all written planning enquiries as soon as possible.     

Information you will need to provide:

We will require you to submit the following:

• a completed Planning enquiry form showing a clear description of the proposal. Please click 

  Planning enquiry form (pdf, 214.64 KB)

  ;

• a site location plan with all site boundaries, neighbouring properties and adjacent roads shown;
• scaled drawings of both existing and proposed floor plans and elevations (where relevant);
• supporting photographs of the site or other documents that would also be helpful to the Planning Officer

Please note that for dropped kerb enquiries, you are only required to submit the Planning Enquiry form, the payment receipt and a location plan/sketch showing the access point of the required dropped kerb.  We do not require you to submit any other drawings/plans for dropped kerbs. 

The advice we will give:

In the case of trees the Council's Tree Officer will carry out a visual inspection of the tree(s) and will provide a short report to include a brief description of the tree, its general condition and a recommendation for works which would be acceptable to the Council.  

For all other proposals, we will ensure our comments provide, as appropriate:

• a critical analysis of the draft proposal
• relevant planning history of the site including checks on whether permitted development rights have been previously removed or limited
• policies that apply to the site - both local and national
• any other constraints on the site
• information that may be needed to support a planning application
• any infrastructure requirements (this will not apply to residential extensions)
• details of any contacts you may need eg Surrey County Council Highways or Environment Agency

Scale of Charges

Please note that the Planning Officer will only provide written advice. 

Pre application meetings (via Teams or site visit) are only offered for larger developments or new dwellings.

Payment

Payment will need be made before the pre application/planning enquiry is registered.  Payment can be made in one of the following ways:

• Telephone: Payment can be made by Credit/Debit Card by contacting our Customer Services Department on 01784 451499 (Option 3)
• Online: via the Council website:   Pay
• Post: Cheques should be made payable to 'Spelthorne Borough Council' sent to 'Planning Department, Spelthorne Borough Council, Knowle Green, Staines, Middlesex TW18 1XB. 

When payment is being made, please quote the address to which you are referring to and send a copy of the receipt to planningdm@spelthorne.gov.uk  

Planning enquiry on use of property or site

If you are of the opinion that planning permission is not required, you should submit a Certificate of Lawfulness application for a proposed development via the Planning Portal. 

The Planning Department can only confirm in writing if your proposed development does not need planning permission and is permitted by issuing a Lawful Development Certificate.  Please note that proceeding with any type of work without confirming that it is lawful via a Certificate of Lawfulness application is entirely at your own risk.

If you come to the view that planning permission is required, you can submit a planning application via the Planning Portal.

Pre-application Consultation with Borough Councillors and the Local Community on Large Scale Developments 

The Council has agreed some advice on 

.