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You are here: Home > Business and planning > Planning > Planning Intro

Planning and Development Control

This section provides links to all information relating to planning and development control.

Most building work, engineering work and use of land requires planning permission, and the purpose of development control is to ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with local and national planning guidance. 

Many of the issues relating to planning are contained on the Communities and Local Government website.

The website also has Planning Policy Guidance Notes (external website) which may assist you when making planning applications.

The section is also responsible for the administration and management of matters relating to trees covered by Tree Preservation Orders and trees in Conservation Areas.

'Good' planning service

The Council's planning service was judged to be 'good' by the Audit Commission.

• Find out more about the Audit Commission's report on the Council's planning service

Consultation on information lists

A new planning application process has been introuduced by the Government, resulting in a new national planning application form. The Council is consulting on draft national and local lists of information required to validate applications. Please go to the page about the new lists and consultation to participate.      

Tell me about 

• Commenting on an application
  View plans and documents, and make comments about applications online.
• Planning Committee and planning meetings
  See which Councillors are on the Planning Committee, and find out about opportunities for the public to speak at planning meetings. 
• Planning enforcement
  How the Council enforces planning laws, and how you can help us by letting us know when a planning breach has occurred.
• Planning Obligations and Infrastructure SPD
  The Local Planning Authority will apply the Planning Obligation and Infrastructure SPD as a consistent policy for all qualifying developments. The tariff will apply to residential developments with a net increase of one or more  dwellings and commercial developments with a minimum net increase of 50sqm floor space. 
• Planning performance
  Best value performance indicators for planning, the Council's monitors which are produced to assess the success of our planning policies and the Council's planning service charters.
• Planning Permission
  For all information about planning permission and planning consent, including advice on making an application, online application forms and the latest planning applications, decisions and appeals.
• Planning policies
  For information about the Council's planning policies including the Local Plan and supplementary planning guidance. 

Independent planning advice

Whilst the Council is able to provide planning advice through this website and other means, this will only be of a general nature.

If you need more detailed or specific advice, you may have to make alternative arrangements.

The Council does not make recommendations but lists of advisors maintained by professional bodies such as the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) may be useful.

The RTPI also provides general planning advice to complement that offered by local Councils and may be able to offer free advice through its Planning Aid subsidiary.

General planning advice from the RTPI: www.rtpi.org.uk

Planning Aid: www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk  

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