Do you need planning permission?
The government has produced a technical guide for householders on when planning permission is required.
The Council will not be able to respond to enquiries as to whether your proposal is permitted development. If you wish to gain a formal decision as to whether planning permission is required then please submit an application for a Lawful Development Certificate.
Dropped kerbs and crossovers
Pre-application advice
If you know that your proposal requires planning permission, then prior to submission of your planning application it is highly advisable that you obtain pre-application advice on the suitability of your proposal. This is a fee paid service with the charges and level of service catagorised dependent on the size of development. For householder proposals we provide written responses and for larger developments we offer meetings and site visits. We also provide heritage advice and concept only policy meetings. Additionally, optional extra fees are listed including follow up advice, and, on request, specialist technical advice. Planning Performance Agreements are recommended for larger developments.
Please fully read the explanatory notes that explain the process and payment methods. The service fees apply to all pre-application requests recieved after 4:30pm on 31 March 2023.
Please also email development.control@surreyheath.gov.uk for any other enquiries not covered by this service.
Land constraints and residential design guidance
The Council's maps enable you to search for land constraints. For example, if your site is located in the Green Belt or an area liable to flood.
The Council has produced a Residential Design Guide which provides useful guidance for all types of development from householder proposals to large scale residential schemes. If your development lies within the settlements of the western part of the Borough the Western Urban Area Character Appraisal document also contains useful guiding principles. For the full suite of policy documents please see the planning policy webpages.
Applying for planning permission and fast-track application service
The Council encourages the submission of online and electronic applications. You can download forms or apply on-line via the Planning Portal. All fees submitted via the Planning Portal need to paid directly to the Planning Portal (The Local Authority is unable to take payments for these applications).
There are national and local requirements which need to be included with an application. To assist with your submission please refer to the Local Validation List 2023. This document explains the reasons for requesting information and contains user friendly guides and checklists.
For householder planning applications and applications for lawful development certificates, a premium Fast-track Planning Application Service is available. This pilot service provides a faster decision than the statutory period of 8 weeks and is operating between April 2023 - December 2023.
Further advice on applying for planning permission and an explanation of the decision making process is given on the dedicated page.