From 5 March 2024 we will be offering general planning advice over the phone through our free to use duty planning officer service. Read below on what the service offers with details of how you can access the service.
The service will:
- Provide general advice on planning considerations, policies, and permitted development rights
- Advise on how to apply for planning permission and our requirements for validating planning applications including fees
- Provide general details about any constraints on or surrounding a site
- Direct you to other authorities which you may need to contact, for example County Highways Authority, Environment Agency, Natural England and Historic England
- Advise on how to apply for pre-application advice and what this service involves
We will not:
- Provide advice if you live outside of the Wealden district
- Provide any written advice subsequent to your enquiry including by email
- Confirm whether a proposal is permitted development.
- Provide any advice on whether you will achieve planning permission.
- Provide an in-depth verbal analysis of a specific proposal.
- Give specialist advice (eg. from our conservation, landscape and design officers).
- Deal with payments for pre-application or planning application fees.
Our Planning Officers do not have a detailed knowledge of using the Planning Portal for the submission of planning applications, but we will try to help particularly if your query is about the information you are submitting.
You can call the Planning Portal’s customer service helpline on 0333 323 4589 or email support@planningportal.co.uk
This service should not be used to request an update on any current planning application or pre-application enquiry. You should make contact with your case officer.
All advice given as part of this service constitutes an informal opinion of a Planning Officer based on the information provided. It shall not prejudice, or be binding upon, the Authority in making future planning decisions. Comments are not confirmation that a proposal is permitted development and does not require planning permission. If you require such confirmation then please see our pages about applying for a lawful development certificate.
We may keep a record of your personal details and the nature of your enquiry for internal purposes only. For more information on your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) and how we will manage your information please see our Privacy Statement.
This Duty Planner Service operates twice a week with times varied to give all residents and businesses an opportunity to call which are:
- Tuesdays between the hours of 10am and 12:30pm and,
- Thursdays between 14:30pm and 17:00pm
During busy times, if you cannot get through to the duty planning officer you will need to call back. The service is not intended to take messages and call backs will not be arranged.
If you are ready to speak with the Duty Planning Officer call 01892 602011 during the times outlined above.