Importance Of Submitting Planning Applications To The Council Before Any Development

By Author: Garry Stacks
Total Articles: 343
Comment this article

It is important to submit planning applications to the council before commencing any development on your property, as not doing so could result in fines and even jail time. Even if you have done the work without applying for permission through planning applications, the Berkshire council can still require you to submit a retrospective application, so it is always best to check with them first. If you are unsure about whether or not your project needs permission from the local council, there are some things that will help you determine this.
 
The first thing is to look at the purpose of your project: if it is for something like building an extension onto your home or adding landscaping features outside, then chances are good that this requires planning permission.
 
If you do not obtain building regulations approval and begin work on a project that requires it, you (or whoever built it) can be prosecuted. If successful, the prosecution could result in a fine, imprisonment or ...
... both and a requirement for you to put things right at your own cost.
 
You need to submit a planning application because anyone can object to your proposal and it will have an impact on the decision as to whether or not planning permission should be granted. It is therefore important that you submit your application at least six weeks before you wish to start any work.
 
The local authority will notify you if your proposal requires planning permission and the application will then be assessed by the council according to their published criteria within 8 weeks. If the council approves permission, they will send you a written notice of their decision and it is valid for 3 years. The council will also inform you if they disapprove of your application and what your options are, such as altering the proposal and re-submitting it or appealing the decision.
 
When submitting your planning applications to Berkshire council, make sure you include all of the information required by your local council: site plans, elevations, cross-sections, drawings of proposed fixtures and materials, etc. If there is anything missing from your submission, it will be returned to you with a request for the missing information-which could delay your project by weeks or even months! In some cases, additional documents may be required (such as an environmental impact assessment), so ask about these at the start of your application review process to avoid delays later on down the line.



About the Author:: The contribution has been made by Garry Stacks. He has written scores of articles on Planning Applications Berkshire His articles are quite informative.