Pre-Application Advice
This Council is keen to promote the Development Team Approach for all significant development schemes and has therefore appointed a new Development Manager, Mr P Coffey Tel: 01892 602476 E-mail: planning@wealden.gov.uk
Wealden District Council offers five types of pre-application advice:
- Website
- Development Management Duty Officer
- Contact the Development Management Duty Officer to speak to a planning officer regarding small domestic and commercial queries. This is for basic questions about procedures and minor schemes.
- If you want an authoritative view as to whether a scheme you have in mind requires planning consent, (e.g. a small domestic proposal), you should apply for a CLOPUD; (Lawful Development Certificate). The Duty Officer will be able to advise you further on this.
- Surgeries - (Householder and other minor domestic/commercial applications)
- For members of the public/agents wishing to discuss in detail a householder or small commercial development, or similar, a half-hour bookable surgery is available.
- Basic information will be required at the time of booking, including the address of the property or site location and the nature of the proposal.
- At least 7 days before the surgery, further information will be required to be submitted. The information shall include:
- A written outline of the proposals.
- Sketch plans/details, etc.
- Site Plan
- Photographs, etc.
- A written record will be provided by the surgery officer setting out the points agreed.
Tel: 01892 602010. This service operates at the Pine Grove, Crowborough Offices, on Tuesdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm. (12 half-hour bookable slots, with 2 planning officers available).
- Surgeries -
(Non-Householder - Complex small housing or commercial developments).
- For a project which may be more complex e.g.: a one-off house or a small housing scheme of up to 9 units, or for a commercial development, or for alterations to a Grade II* or Grade I listed building, you can arrange a timed appointment to discuss your scheme.
- Basic information will be required at the time of booking, including the address of the property or site location and the nature of the proposal. Please note that a charge may be levied and you are advised to read the Guidance Note (pdf 32kb) on Charges for Pre-Application Advice before making an appoinment. Any payment will be required in advance of the meeting.
- At least 7 days before the surgery, further information will be required to be submitted, so that time spent with the planning officer, (and specialists as appropriate), can be productive and worthwhile. The information shall include:
- Location plan.
- Block plan showing the layout of the site and key applicable constraints.
- A brief written description of the proposals.
- Sketch and illustrative drawings, showing elevations and internal layout.
- Photographs.
- The main officers that could be involved in this type of discussions would be:
- Planning Officer
- Conservation & Design Officer
- Highways Officer
- Tree/Landscape Officer
- Building Control Surveyor
- Written confirmation will be provided, following the meeting, on the main issues agreed/discussed.
Tel: 01892 602010 for an appointment, or the Development Manager: 01892 602476, if a more complex scheme is involved and/or specialists are required to be co-ordinated. This service operates on Wednesdays at the Pine Grove, Crowborough Offices, from 9.30am to 12.30 pm and 1.00 pm to 4.00pm, with 6 one-hourly slots.
- Development Team Approach - One Stop Shop
- For businesses/developers considering a large, or complex development proposal, it will be likely to need a number of development consents from Wealden District Council.
- These consents can include planning permission, listed building consent, building regulations and possibly other approvals/ licences. With the increased complexity of information and legislative requirements involved in submitting applications for planning & building regulations in particular, it is often advisable to discuss in advance your proposals with planning officers and other related officers prior to submission.
- This process is referred to as a 'One Stop Shop', or Development Team Approach, (DTA).
- Full details of the proposed development will be required at least 7 days in advance, as for the Surgeries, and these will comprise;
- Location Plan.
- Block plan showing existing development on the site.
- Photographs.
- Brief description of proposed scheme.
- Sketch scheme, including elevations and internal layout, if possible.
- A charge may be levied for pre-application advice and you are advised to read the Guidance Note (pdf 32kb) prior to making an appointment. Any payment will be required in advance of the meeting.
For further information on this service please contact the Development Manager, Tel: 01892 602476. This service is by appointment and to be agreed by an appropriate senior officer, (Team Leader/Development Manager/Assistant Team Leader or Senior Planning Officer), and operates from the Pine Grove, Crowborough Offices.
A separate leaflet is available on this service entitled "Development Team Approach". For sites which involve only Affordable Housing (Exception Sites) - see also the Affordable Housing Protocol. All Exceptions Housing will follow the Affordable Housing Protocol and DTA approach, and meeting arrangements will be agreed by an appropriate senior officer, (Team Leader/Assistant Team Leader/Development Manager/Senior Planning Officer or Affordable Housing Co-ordinator).
All DTA and surgery meetings for proposed developments in both the north and the south
of the District will take place at the Pine Grove Offices, to ensure a full and comprehensive service, and to ensure that the necessary specialists are available. Potential applicants are advised that the Council will decline to arrange meetings where a proposal will clearly conflict with national and/or locally adopted policy guidance, and that all meetings that are arranged will be held strictly on a 'without prejudice' basis.
Please Note that Wealden's Building Control provide a full advice service on all Building Regulation matters. Contact: 01892 602495 for any general enquiries. If it is for a major or complex scheme, then please contact either the Building Control Manager, on tel: 01892 602489 or the Assistant Building Control Manager, on tel: 01892 602493.
