Applying and guidance for planning applications

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3. Pre-application advice for larger scale proposals

For informal written advice please complete and submit a Pre-application advice form.

Larger scale proposal pre-application advice fees 
 Type of development Description   What is included Cost 
Small Scale Major  Residential – 10 - 30 dwellings
Non-residential 1,000 – 4,999 sq m floorspace
Site area - 1 – 1.99 Ha (where no. of dwellings or floorspace is unknown)

Desk top evaluation, one meeting and written response

Each additional meeting/response

£860 or bespoke fee 

£250 or bespoke fee
Medium Scale Major Residential - 31-149 dwellings
Non-residential 5,000 – 9,999 sq m floorspace
Site area - 2 – 3.99 Ha (where no. of dwellings or floorspace is unknown)

Desk top evaluation, up to two meetings and written response

Each additional meeting/response

£2000 or bespoke fee

£600 or bespoke fee
Large Scale Major Residential – more than 150 dwellings
Non-residential – over 10,000 sq m floorspace
Site area more than 4 Ha(where no. of dwellings or floorspace is unknown)

Desk top evaluation, up to three meetings and written response

Each additional meeting/response

£2650 or bespoke fee

£800 or bespoke fee
Exemptions 
 Affordable Housing-led Schemes in agreement with Council Free 
 Non-residential Development by Micro Businesses (up to ten employees)  50% of fee
 Development by Town & Parish Councils  50% of fee
 Development Specifically Intended to Improve Disabled Access  Free
 One discussion following a refusal of Planning Permission  Free

Notes:

  • Where a bespoke fee is appropriate this will be agreed with applicant through a Planning Performance Agreement
  • Floorspace means gross external floorspace
  • The larger element of a mixed use scheme will primarily be used to determine which category of fee applies to the
  • All fees are inclusive of VAT
  • Where it is agreed that the advice can be provided without a meeting the cost of the meeting may be refunded
  • Where a request has been received but the officer has not yet started to work on the request the fee may be refunded less the sum of £30 to cover administrative costs
  • For fee calculation purposes, flats and holiday accomodation are considered as dwellings

Please also provide the information requested on the form and your fee. 

It is likely that for large proposals we will require extra information and we will start work on your request when the fee and all the required information have been provided. 

Depending on the size and impact of your proposal any meetings may also include internal or external specialists and consultants.

We also offer the following services:

  • details of our Pre-application forum procedure (PDF) which allows applicants to present their proposals to Members, Planning Officers, consultees and other bodies.  Please contact us to discuss the details and the appropriate fee.
  • information about the Design Review Panel via our membership of Devon and Somerset Design Review Panel

You should also be aware of planning policy and guidance under Local plans and policy. 

We have recently (November 2017) approved an advice note for Vacant Building Credit