Apply for planning permission

You can apply for planning permission online or by email:

• Online:

  Submit an online planning application

  Guidance is available to show which form to use.

• Email:

  Download and email the relevant form(s), visit: Application forms.

What information you need to submit

This depends on the type, size and location of the development.

• National requirements: See: National information requirements.
• Local requirements: See: Local list. This is a list of possible requirements that is revised every two years. It has examples, informs when needed and has contact details.

You can buy plans for your application via the Planning portal.

Design review

For proposed developments likely to have a major landscape/townscape impact, include a formal design review in the application. Check with Planning Services as soon as you can to see if you need one, email: planning.applications@calderdale.gov.uk.

It can speed up the planning process by resolving any problems early in the process.

For more about design review principles and practice, visit: Design council: Design Review: principles and practice.

Local Authorities should have Local Design Review arrangements in place. This is a requirement set out in paragraph 62 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Note: Please make sure you have all the information you require before you submit your application.

Prior Approvals – General Permitted Development Order (GDPO)

In 2015, the Government introduced the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.

• Some development is permitted without the need for planning permission;
• and some is permitted as long as you have the prior approval of the Local Planning Authority first.

To apply for Prior Approval you will need to submit certain information with your application. Further details about Prior Approvals can be found on the Planning Portal.

Please note: You are responsible for making sure all the information we need to assess your application is submitted. We will refuse your application and retain the fee, if your application is incomplete.

Submission

If you apply online using the Planning Portal, your applications will be transferred to Calderdale Council for processing.

If you are emailing your application please ensure that you split any large attachments and email them separately to:

• Email: planning.applications@calderdale.gov.uk

Fees

To find out how much an application will cost, visit: Planning portal fee calculator.

• If you apply via the Planning Portal, you will need to pay using a credit/debit card.
• If you apply to us by email, you can pay online using your credit/debit card. 
   

Applications are logged, when received by Planning services. It is checked to ensure that the application is valid and that all necessary documentation/fees have been submitted.

If valid, then the date of receipt is the start date for the process. The target periods of 8 weeks and 13 weeks begin from the first full day after this date.

Valid applications

You (the applicant) will receive a letter containing the application reference number (please quote this in all correspondence). The letter will have contact details for your allocated planning officer and a target date for the decision.

Note: If you use an agent, all correspondence and communication will be through them.

We aim to validate applications within five working days, but this can be 15 working days during peak periods.

The application is usually available online within 24 hours of validation. To check, visit: Search for planning applications.

Invalid applications

An application will be invalid if any required information is omitted, incorrect or the correct fee is not paid.

You or your agent will be informed in writing and given 14 days to provide the necessary information/fees.

Note: The application will not be processed further until all required information and the correct fee is received, by us.

If you want clarification on the information or fees required, contact the Technical clerk named on your letter.

Note: If we do not receive a response within 14 days, the application, information and fees will be returned.

If you still want to apply, you must start a new application.

An application can be invalid due to the requirement of information listed in the Local list. If you disagree with this, you can:

• Serve a Section 10a notice to the Council by letter.
• It should give the reason(s) why you feel the information is not required and the basis for this conclusion.

The Council will then decide whether the application is valid or not. If it is deemed 'not valid', you can appeal against 'non determination', see: Appeal a planning decision.

All valid applications are published online, visit: Search for planning applications.

Depending on the nature of a proposal and its location, valid applications are publicised in one or more ways:

• A site notice displayed at the proposed development.
• Notification by letter to neighbouring properties.
• A public notice in the local press.

The public has 21 days to comment on an application. This is to either support or object against a planning application. A comment is known as a 'representation'.

Note: Any comments received after 21 days, will be taken into consideration up to the point the application is determined.

An application can be determined once the 3 week publicity period is up.

The Council must consult with certain bodies on different types of planning applications. These are called 'statutory consultees' and include:

• The Councils Highways Service.
• Parish and Town Councils.
• The Environment Agency.

We also consult non-statutory consultees, like local amenity bodies and other Council Services (such as Environmental Health and Education).

All consultees have 21 days to respond.

Applications are allocated to a case officer for initial review and a site visit. This is usually within a maximum of three weeks from validation.

Where it is considered necessary, the case officer will erect a 'Site Notice'.

Changes may need to be made to the application following the site visit, consultation responses or representations from the public. If so, the case officer will negotiate with the applicant to make amendments to the original proposal.

Note: Our aim is to do this within five weeks of an application being validated.

Revised plans will be made available online within 24 hours of receipt, visit: Search planning applications.

Note: For changes are considered very minor, we will not publicise the amendments or invite comments from the public. Otherwise, publicity will be carried out, asking for people's comments. This is usually for a period of 14 days.

At the end of the assessment, a Delegated or Committee report will be written by the case officer. Most applications can be decided by senior planning officers under delegated powers from the Planning committee. In these cases, the Delegated report is available online once the decision has been made.

If an application goes to the Planning Committee

A report will be available online five days before their decision is made.

The Planning committee meets every third Tuesday of the month. It considers planning applications that cannot be decided under delegated powers.

To view Planning committee agendas, reports and decisions, see: Council, committee and cabinet meetings.

Applicants and those who have made representations on an application, can attend Planning Committee. At the Chairs discretion, they may also make a brief statement about the application.

On arriving, tell the Committee administrator you want to participate in a planning application. Otherwise, the committee may be unaware of this.

Each application follows the 'Planning application procedure':

• The Planning Officer will outline the item.
• Members of the Committee may question the Planning Officer (questions only, not comments or general discussion).

• The objector(s) (or their representative) is then allowed to address the meeting. The speaker will be allowed no more than 5 minutes to state their case.

  (Note: Normally only one person is allowed to speak for the objectors. It is at the Chair's discretion to allow more parties to speak, to enable further points to be raised.

• Members of the Committee may then question the objector(s).
• Ward/Parish Councillor may then be allowed to address the meeting in relation to the application being considered. The speaker will be allowed no more than 5 minutes.
• Members of the Committee may then question the Ward/Parish Councillor.
• The applicant (or their representative) can then be allowed to address the meeting. The speaker will be allowed no more than 5 minutes to state their case.
• Members of the Committee can then question the applicant or their representative.
• The application will then be debated by the Council Members ONLY.
• The matter is then voted on by the Planning committee.

Note: Disputes about the right to speak and/or participate will be determined by the Chair, whose decision is final.

Applicants will be notified in writing of the decision.

All details of a planning application are published online, visit: Search for planning applications.

The details include the decision notice, all documents, the status and the dates of receipt/validation, for example:

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If your application is approved

• Approval of details required by condition

  When a planning permission is granted, it is usually subject to a number of conditions. Many conditions require the submission of details for approval, before development begins.

Note: Planning permission will not be valid If development begins before the 'details required by conditions' have been approved.

Details of how to apply can be found on the decision notice. Forms and guidance notes are available, visit: Planning portal.

You can submit this application as you would any other planning application. We aim to deal with these applications within 8 weeks.

If you do not comply with planning conditions, Enforcement Service may ask you to comply.

Note: If you do not comply, you can be served with a Breach of Condition Notice.

• Non material amendment

  After getting planning permission, small changes to applications can be made by applying for a non-material amendment. This amends the original application and is submitted as you would any other planning application. You may want to do this to:

  • add an additional window to a house;
  • reposition an opening;
  • re-site a building by a small amount;
  • increase the height of an extension, etc.

  The target to deal with these applications is within 4 weeks.

Commencement

Once the application has been approved, including any conditions, you can start your development. Your decision notice will state the time limit in which you can start development, which is usually three years.

Note: Planning approval does not remove the need for Building regulations approval, if this is also required for your development.

If your application is refused

Resubmission

You can resubmit your application after a refusal. Note: You are advised to address the reasons for refusal before doing so.

You can discuss how to overcome the reasons for refusal with the planning officer that dealt with the original application.

You can re-submit your application up to one year after it was withdrawn or determined, without a fee. If, the original application was validated and your application site / proposal remain substantially the same.

Note:

• The application must be from the same applicant;
• and you can only have one free go for the same site and proposal.

Appeal

Please see: Appeal a planning decision, if:

• Planning permission has been refused;
• or you have an issue with a condition that was attached to a permission.

If your development does not adhere to your planning permission, Enforcement service can contact you.

They can ask you to change your development so it falls with your planning permission.

They can also ask you to submit a further application to cover any changes that you have made.

Note: If you do not comply you could be served with an Enforcement Notice, see: Enforcing planning rules.

You can withdraw an application at any point in the process. This can be because:

• plans have changed;
• you want to substantially change a proposal;
• or it is likely to be refused.

If you want to withdraw an application, you must confirm this, to us, in writing. You can also email your allocated planning officer, who will be named on the valid/invalid letter.

Note: If an application is withdrawn after it has been validated, we do not return the fee.