Development Team Pre-Application Advice
Through the adoption of the Planning Toolkit with the West of England authorities (Bristol, South Gloucestershire & North Somerset), we have set up Development Team specifically designed to support major and / or complex schemes. This is an extension to our pre-application advice service which additionally provides expert and bespoke advice to ensure you are in a strong position to address all the planning considerations before your submission.
Why should I use Development Team for pre-application advice?
* To provide you with co-ordinated advice from planning, technical and environmental specialists within the council to ensure that your proposals are in line with policy
* To provide you with an understanding of the planning considerations, risks and issues around your proposal and how you may overcome them
* To provide you with information on any financial contributions or community benefits, that may be applicable
* To identify where further information may be required, such as Environmental Statements, Transportation Assessments, Ecological Surveys etc
* To provide a mechanism for setting up a Planning Performance Agreement or further pre application advice
* To provide you with information on how to complete the final submission and the documentation required
* To speed up the process of determining any subsequent applications
Who can apply?
Development Team is designed to support major schemes of 10 dwellings or more or creating over 1000 square meters of floor space or smaller schemes which raise complex planning issues.
Development Team charges
• Developments will be charged at £4080 per hectare or part hectare with a minimum fee of £6120
• Developments of 4 or more storeys will pay a supplement of £3060
• There will be an overall maximum fee of £15,300
• All charges will pay VAT in addition
• A follow up meeting is included in the price
• B&NES planning reserve the right to waive the minimum and maximum fee under certain circumstances for example, highly contentious or very large/small applications
Our commitments to you
• Dedicated planning officer to manage the process and provide a full response
• 1 hour meeting with the planning officer and all appropriate B&NES officers
• The meeting will give you time to deliver a 30 minute presentation and officers a chance to ask questions and seek clarification from you
• A full and comprehensive written response from the planning officer combining the views of all the consulted officers where appropriate to provide a single planning view
• Written response within 14 days of the meeting
• 1 follow-up meeting with the Planning officer and appropriate consultees to discuss the officer report and issues arising and / or next steps for pre-app or submission. The meeting can be up to 2 hours max, at officer discretion
How do I apply?
* Contact us on 01225 394041 for advice on whether your scheme is appropriate for Development Team or to request review.
* We will agree a provisional timetable including a meeting date and advise you of the fee.
* Where appropriate officers will arrange a pre meeting which will be free of charge to explain the process and to give an early steer on the likely main issues.
* Please send 1 hard copy of plans and supporting information, 1 CD and attachments to emails (electronic) to B&NES Council, Development Management Team, Lewis House, Manvers St, Bath, BA1 1JG. You may be asked to break large electronic documents into more manageable sections and our email address is development_management@bathnes.gov.uk.
* Submitted not less than 2 weeks before meeting, with sufficient information
* Fee paid 2 weeks before meeting
What should I consider before I request Development Team advice?
The more information you can give us, the more specific our advice can be. The following draft documents enable us to give you advice:
* A clearly marked location plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 scale based on an extract from the Ordnance Survey.
* An existing site plan illustrating the siting of any existing buildings and trees (including canopy spreads) both on the site and on adjoining land.
* Supporting plans (to scale), sketches and / or drawings which clearly indicate the nature and scale of the development envisaged. The more information that can be provided at this stage, the more complete the response will be.
* Supporting documentation which fully explains the nature and context of the development, such as:- Planning Statement/Design and access statement; Transport Statement/draft Transport Assessments/ Tree report. Etc.
If it appears that your development team submission is more appropriate to be considered as a pre-application submission we will advise you accordingly.
Please note - Any planning applications approved after April 6th 2015 may be subject to a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) tariff. View CIL information and guidance.