In general, a valid planning application must always include:
- copies of public notices; (newspaper notice and site notice) (See Questions 13 & 14);
- the name and address of the applicant, the area and location of the land or structure concerned and the legal interest of the applicant;
- all the required plans, maps and drawings and a schedule listing the plans, maps and drawings;
- a location map (minimum scale 1:1000); site or layout plans (minimum scale 1:500);
- other plans and elevations of proposals; (minimum scale 1:200) (except for outline permission);
- a plan showing the position on the land where the site notice has been erected;
- the appropriate fee;
- and six copies of plans and maps. In the case of protected structures or proposed protected structures, ten copies are usually required.
You should always check with your planning authority that you meet all the requirements. An incomplete application is invalid A Guide to Making a Planning Application • 5 and will be returned to you with the fee. The statutory eight week period for deciding an application begins from the time you submit a valid application. When the last day for giving a decision falls on a weekend, public holiday or other day the planning authority is closed, the decision will be given on the next working day. In calculating any time limit, the period between the 24th December and 1st January is disregarded.
There may be specific requirements depending on the type of development you want permission for.
You must show clearly and in sufficient detail:
- your development proposals, including site layout plans and other scaled plans depending on the nature of the proposed development;
- what the development will look like when finished, which can include plans and visuals;
- and how the proposed development will relate to the site and to the adjoining structures and properties. Drawings and streetscape illustrations are useful in this context.
