Permitted Development Enquiry Service - Do I need planning permission?
Many types of minor development are classed as 'permitted development'. This means they do not require a planning application. These can include certain extensions or alterations to houses or small scale farm developments. The permitted development regulations are quite complicated, for a fee of £30 (including VAT) we can confirm whether your proposal is 'permitted development' or if a planning application is required. For extensions, curtilage buildings and renewable energy please email the relevant enquiry form, for other proposals please send a detailed email outlining your proposal and giving the address of the property. Emails should be sent to planning@yorkshiredales.org.uk. We will provide a written response within 5 working days of receipt of the completed enquiry form or email and fee.
Members of the public can obtain verbal planning advice on householder or small-scale development proposals at our Planning Advice Surgeries.
The Planning Portal provides guidance on whether planning permission is required. However, the onus is on the homeowner to satisfy themselves that the development they intend to undertake does not require planning permission. Development carried out without the benefit of planning permission may be liable to enforcement action by the Authority.
Pre-application Advice Service – advice on your proposal before you submit a planning application
The Government encourages developers to seek advice before they submit a planning application. Doing this allows planning officers to give advice on any potential problems, or add value to proposals. This 'front-loading' of the planning application process allows applications to be dealt with more quickly and reduces the likelihood of permission being refused.
Pre-application enquiries will be treated confidentially. However if a request is made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004 we may be obliged to reveal details of your enquiry. If your enquiry includes information that is of particular importance to you that you wish to be kept confidential (eg. personal, financial or commercially sensitive data) please draw attention to it in your enquiry. Please be aware that if your enquiry requires an officer to visit the site it is unlikely that this could be undertaken without the knowledge of neighbours or landowners.
We provide two types of pre-application advice service:
Service A provides written advice within 10 working days of receipt following a desk-based assessment of the proposal. This includes:
- a check on information we hold on development constraints
- an assessment of the relevant national and local planning policy and guidance, insofar as it relates to the proposal
- advice on the likely material considerations and how they might be addressed.
Service B provides written advice within 10 working days following the site meeting and includes:
- Service A assessments
- a visit to the site by a Planning Officer
- consultations with relevant YDNPA experts such as archaeologists, ecologists and listed building advisers
- a meeting with the Planning Officer if requested
The level of fee charged for these services is calculated in relation to the cost to the Authority (in staff time and associated costs) of providing the service. For this reason the fee for advice on larger development proposals is higher than that for smaller proposals.
Please note that only a Service A response is available for householder proposals.
Please note: There are no standard forms for submitting Service A or B enquiries. Please consider including the following information when submitting a pre-application enquiry:
- Location plan.
- Diagram/Sketch of the proposal, with any measurements preferably in metric units. Annotations are welcome.
- Description of the proposal.
- Photographs of the development site/property (where appropriate).
Fees
All fees are subject to VAT (currently 20%). The figure below includes VAT.
| Development category | Service A | Service B |
|---|---|---|
| Listed building advice | £0 | £80 |
| Category A Householder development | £55 | n/a |
| Category B Major development: Creation of 10+ dwellings New buildings of more than 1,000sqm floorspace Development of a site of more than 1ha Development requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment | £180 | £360 |
| Category C Other development: Creation of 3 – 9 dwellings New buildings between 500sqm and 1000sqm floorspace Change of use of buildings over 500sqm Development of a site between 0.5ha and 1ha | £120 | £240 |
| Category D Small scale development: Creation of 1 or 2 dwellings (including conversions, new build and reoccupation) Change of use of buildings up to 500sqm New buildings and non-residential extensions up to 500sqm Signs and advertisements S106 modifications and LDC proposals Non-domestic renewable energy schemes Remodelling caravan/camping sites not entailing an extension to the site | £60 | £120 |
Follow-up advice
If you need more advice on a significantly amended scheme after receiving a Service B response, the fee charged will be the Service A rate for that category of development.
If you need further meetings and site visits following a Service B response, but not a reappraisal of a significantly amended scheme, these will be charged at an hourly rate of £30.
Exemptions
We provide free informal verbal advice for householder proposals, small business proposals and minor agricultural development (ie. not falling within categories B and C) by appointment at a 'planning surgery'. Planning surgeries are held at YDNPA offices at Bainbridge in Wensleydale, Grassington, Sedbergh and Orton. To make an appointment please call 01969 652350 for Grassington and 01969 652349 for Bainbridge, Sedbergh and Orton.
A Service A response will be provided on request for the following types of proposal free of charge:
- proposals for improving accommodation for disabled persons
- proposals for works to Listed Buildings (if planning permission is also likely to be required see relevant development category)
A Service A response will be provided for proposals submitted by Parish Councils for non-commercial development and are subject to a 50% reduction of the normal fee.
Minerals development
Minerals planning is a highly specialised field of the planning profession. Pre-application advice for minerals extraction and quarry development is available on the basis of a flat rate fee for the amount of written advice, site visits and meetings as is agreed with the applicant to be necessary. For further information on this service please contact the Authority's Waste and Minerals Officer Mr David Parrish on 01969 652315 or email dave.parrish@yorkshiredales.org.uk
The flat rate fees for minerals proposals including VAT are:
- Minor mineral extraction proposals: £480
- Major mineral extraction proposals: £3,000
How to pay your fee
The fee can be paid over the phone (01969 652345) using a debit or credit card. Cheques should be made payable to Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA).
Design guide
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Design Guide provides guidance on the quality of design that is expected from development proposals and also provides positive help to achieve it. The guide helps to explain what is considered 'good design' in the context of this National Park. In doing so it builds on the guidance given in the National Planning Policy Framework on design and helps designers and developers to interpret the design policies in the Local Plan.
