Planning permission timeframe

[Mypyh4oo]

Hi all,

I’m after some advise re. the below.

I have recently submitted a planning application for some new driveway gates. I am aware that this could take up to 8 weeks for a decision, however I’d be interested to know whether somebody has had an answer sooner than that from experience. Considering that it’s a relatively small project compared to an actual extension for example i would have thought that the turnaround may be a bit quicker. Other properties on the same street already have gates in place which I could not find planning permission for historically.

Many thanks

[smokey mow]

Mypyh4oo said:

Hi all,

I’m after some advise re. the below.

I have recently submitted a planning application for some new driveway gates. I am aware that this could take up to 8 weeks for a decision, however I’d be interested to know whether somebody has had an answer sooner than that from experience. Considering that it’s a relatively small project compared to an actual extension for example i would have thought that the turnaround may be a bit quicker. Other properties on the same street already have gates in place which I could not find planning permission for historically.

Many thanks

The scale of the project will make no difference.

The administrative processes within the local authority for the reviewing the application, including the statutory process of consulting with neighbours and others would take exactly the same length of time.

[Mypyh4oo]

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I only have a single immediate neighbour to the side of me. Would properties past my neighbour also be consulted?!

[smokey mow]

Mypyh4oo said:

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I only have a single immediate neighbour to the side of me. Would properties past my neighbour also be consulted?!

Typically the would contact all neighbours that share a boundary, and post a public notice for anyone else to comment.

[Cow Corner]

I would say the chances of a quicker decision are possible, but unlikely - it’s much more likely that it will take longer than 8 weeks.

[KTMsm]

Think of how long something should take, double it, add some gross incompetence...

Essentially other than "longer than it should" there is no clear timescale but less than 8 weeks would be a miracle

[GT03ROB]

I got my garage through in about 6 weeks & that was a conservation area

[Mypyh4oo]

Thanks for everyone’s responses so far. Keeping my fingers crossed it doesn’t go past the 8 week mark.

[xx99xx]

As you may already know, the 8 week clock only starts ticking once the application has been validated.

Many local authorities have a backlog so it could take several weeks before they even look at it to contemplate validating it.

Statutory consultees (where applicable) may also be busy so are unlikely to review the application asap but will be aware of the time limit they have to send any comments back.

Every LPA is different. Yours may be better/worse.

[Mypyh4oo]

xx99xx said:

As you may already know, the 8 week clock only starts ticking once the application has been validated.

Many local authorities have a backlog so it could take several weeks before they even look at it to contemplate validating it.

Statutory consultees (where applicable) may also be busy so are unlikely to review the application asap but will be aware of the time limit they have to send any comments back.

Every LPA is different. Yours may be better/worse.

My application has already been validated if that helps. It was validated on the same day of submission.

[Steve H]

Mypyh4oo said:

My application has already been validated if that helps. It was validated on the same day of submission.

Hopefully this means they are reasonably on the case and up to date.

My local planners pretty much abandoned the eight week target post-covid despite claiming that they were just as efficient WFH and didn’t need to return to the office. Last time I spoke to the architect I have used in the past was probably around a year ago but he suggested that eight months was an early result at that point.

[Quhet]

Make sure you chase up regularly with the case officer. The worst thing you can do is to leave it and assume it's being looked at. Resourcing issues mean that applications can fall between the cracks and then get left and delays happen.

Assuming all is well, a case officer is going to be grateful for the quick win in getting it determined and issuing PP in a timely manner. If all is not well, you'll know about any issue sooner giving you a chance to get any additional information or make necessary changes.

[Mypyh4oo]

Quhet said:

Make sure you chase up regularly with the case officer. The worst thing you can do is to leave it and assume it's being looked at. Resourcing issues mean that applications can fall between the cracks and then get left and delays happen.

Assuming all is well, a case officer is going to be grateful for the quick win in getting it determined and issuing PP in a timely manner. If all is not well, you'll know about any issue sooner giving you a chance to get any additional information or make necessary changes.

Hello, thanks for your reply and the advice.

I have already emailed the case officer to see if there was anything else they needed from me to help with getting a decision through sooner as it was a time sensitive project but I’m yet to hear back from them and I’ve got suspicions that I probably won’t hear from them either full stop.

I have had a look to see if they have been allocated any other applications but could only find one other than mine so in reality it’s wrong for something less complex to take this long.

[skeeterm5]

When we were going through an application the planning officer actually called out unannounced to visit and have a chat.

He was a lovely guy and said that planning would be granted and he liked the scheme, even with this assurance he waited until the very final day of the 8 week window to formally agree it.

So it seems they can’t/won’t be hurried

[Mypyh4oo]

skeeterm5 said:

When we were going through an application the planning officer actually called out unannounced to visit and have a chat.

He was a lovely guy and said that planning would be granted and he liked the scheme, even with this assurance he waited until the very final day of the 8 week window to formally agree it.

So it seems they can’t/won’t be hurried

Yeah I have noticed the same on applications that have been decided on recently. You can see that they have taken the mick and waited out the whole 8 week period. Appalling really.

[Quhet]

Mypyh4oo said:

Quhet said:

Make sure you chase up regularly with the case officer. The worst thing you can do is to leave it and assume it's being looked at. Resourcing issues mean that applications can fall between the cracks and then get left and delays happen.

Assuming all is well, a case officer is going to be grateful for the quick win in getting it determined and issuing PP in a timely manner. If all is not well, you'll know about any issue sooner giving you a chance to get any additional information or make necessary changes.

Hello, thanks for your reply and the advice.

I have already emailed the case officer to see if there was anything else they needed from me to help with getting a decision through sooner as it was a time sensitive project but I’m yet to hear back from them and I’ve got suspicions that I probably won’t hear from them either full stop.

I have had a look to see if they have been allocated any other applications but could only find one other than mine so in reality it’s wrong for something less complex to take this long.

Don't be afraid to chase by phone either, even if it's just leaving a message with the duty planner / technician who answers the general planning enquiries line. Whatever happens though, you'll need to wait for the consultation period to end before the application can be determined (21 days). It may be that the Highways Officer needs to be consulted so even if the planning officer is generally happy, a delay from a consultee may push things back too.

Can be painful I'm afraid.

[Mypyh4oo]

Quhet said:

Mypyh4oo said:

Quhet said:

Make sure you chase up regularly with the case officer. The worst thing you can do is to leave it and assume it's being looked at. Resourcing issues mean that applications can fall between the cracks and then get left and delays happen.

Assuming all is well, a case officer is going to be grateful for the quick win in getting it determined and issuing PP in a timely manner. If all is not well, you'll know about any issue sooner giving you a chance to get any additional information or make necessary changes.

Hello, thanks for your reply and the advice.

I have already emailed the case officer to see if there was anything else they needed from me to help with getting a decision through sooner as it was a time sensitive project but I’m yet to hear back from them and I’ve got suspicions that I probably won’t hear from them either full stop.

I have had a look to see if they have been allocated any other applications but could only find one other than mine so in reality it’s wrong for something less complex to take this long.

Don't be afraid to chase by phone either, even if it's just leaving a message with the duty planner / technician who answers the general planning enquiries line. Whatever happens though, you'll need to wait for the consultation period to end before the application can be determined (21 days). It may be that the Highways Officer needs to be consulted so even if the planning officer is generally happy, a delay from a consultee may push things back too.

Can be painful I'm afraid.

I understand however I just feel that a little acknowledgment by the case officer would go a long away but I guess that’s not their priority. Thanks for the advice

[silentbrown]

Quhet said:

Don't be afraid to chase by phone either, even if it's just leaving a message with the duty planner / technician who answers the general planning enquiries line. Whatever happens though, you'll need to wait for the consultation period to end before the application can be determined (21 days). It may be that the Highways Officer needs to be consulted so even if the planning officer is generally happy, a delay from a consultee may push things back too.

Can be painful I'm afraid.

The consultation period won't start until there's a public notice posted. Keep your eyes peeled for that.

[Mypyh4oo]

silentbrown said:

Quhet said:

Don't be afraid to chase by phone either, even if it's just leaving a message with the duty planner / technician who answers the general planning enquiries line. Whatever happens though, you'll need to wait for the consultation period to end before the application can be determined (21 days). It may be that the Highways Officer needs to be consulted so even if the planning officer is generally happy, a delay from a consultee may push things back too.

Can be painful I'm afraid.

The consultation period won't start until there's a public notice posted. Keep your eyes peeled for that.

Just so I can understand is this the notice attached to lampposts and letters sent out to immediate neighbours?

[Nico Adie]

Imagine a piece of string. Think of the distance from the middle of the string to one of its ends. Double it. That's how long it'll take.