It can feel like a minefield when you have no experience of planning or building control. Don't panic! We have all of the information you need.
- First of all, you'll need to check out whether you actually need planning permission for the changes you have in mind. Many changes are 'permitted development', and require no permission at all.
- Once you've established that you need to apply for planning permission, look at our simple step-by-step overview to understand what's involved at every stage. Make sure you look at the decision making process, so you'll always know where you are, and what's coming next.
- You'll probably want to get good advice. We recommend you use a planning agent to prepare and submit your application, and our Pre-application Advice Service will help you to spot potential problems early, and avoid common pitfalls.
- When you come to apply, you or your agent will need to know the local requirements for applications
- When the time comes, you'll need to visit the Planning Portal to submit your application.
- With our online service, you can track the progress of your application at every stage
- Once you're ready to start construction, don't forget to get in touch with our Building Control team, to check if your development needs Building Regulations Approval.