Amendments during a planning application
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) highlights the benefits of early engagement to resolve any issues and thereby improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application process It. We highly recommend that you seek pre-application advice. For complex and major developments we recommend that you speak to us about the benefits of a planning performance agreement (PPA).
The NPPF also states that decisions on planning applications should be made as quickly as possible, and within statutory timescales unless a longer period has been agreed by the applicant in writing. In order to make the right decisions as quickly as possible, set out below is the likely recommendation to each set of circumstances.
Categories
All planning applications (excluding those subject to a planning performance agreement) are expected to fall into one of the following categories after assessment by the case officer.
The case officer will contact you following the statutory consultation period to advise which category applies and what our recommendation is in this case.
Please do not submit amendments unless you have discussed and agreed with the case officer that amendments can be submitted. If amendments are submitted without prior agreement of the case officer, these will not be accepted.
Category 1
Scheme acceptable as originally submitted.
Likely recommendation: Approval no amendments required
Category 2
Scheme unacceptable as submitted and substantial differences or fundamental changes would be required which would require re-consultation (e.g. principle of development, significant design changes)
No amendments allowed.
Likely recommendation: Refusal without negotiation
Category 3
Scheme unacceptable as submitted but only needs minor amendments to make acceptable which do not materially alter the application and do not require re-consultation
Minor amendments allowed within timeframe to be agreed with the case officer.
Likely recommendation: Approval following receipt of amended plans or further information to overcome the objections or concerns.
Category 4
Pre-application advice was sought and the scheme is unacceptable as submitted but needs minor amendments or further information to meet the objections or concerns of an external consultee that were not raised during the pre-application stage.
Minor amendments allowed within timeframe to be agreed with the case officer.
Likely recommendation: Approval following receipt of amended plans or further information to overcome the objections or concerns.
Category 5
No pre-application advice sought and the issues raised could have reasonably been identified through pre-application advice which materially alter the application and require re-consultation.
No amendments allowed.
Likely recommendation: Refusal without negotiation and amended plans or further information will not be accepted.
Category 6
Pre-application advice has been provided but ignored to the extent that the scheme requires amendments which require re-consultation.
No amendments allowed.
Likely recommendation: Refusal without negotiation and amended plans or further information will not be accepted.
Please note that these are not guaranteed outcomes and show the likely recommendation of the case officer, which will be subject of either an officer delegated decision or Development Management Committee decision in some cases.
Where refusal is recommended
Where the case officer has identified that the application should be refused, the applicant will be given 3 working days to withdraw the application for householder and non-major applications and 5 working days for major applications. If no response is received we will proceed to issue a decision within the statutory period.
When amendments are acceptable
In cases where amendments are sought, a period of time, dependent on the nature of the amendments required and to be agreed with the case officer, will be allowed for the amendments to be submitted to the case officer to allow the application to be determined within the statutory timescale. Extensions of time to determine the application will only be agreed in exceptional circumstances by the case officer following agreement with their manager.