Skip to content Skip to search
My Norwich

Pre-application planning advice

Before you make a planning application we suggest you use our pre-application advice service. This service is available to householders and developers.

This could save you time and money, and may improve your chances of having your proposal approved.

We’ll give you advice on:

  • the likelihood of your application being successful
  • the processes involved in making an application
  • what information you’ll need to make your application
  • policies your proposal will be assessed against

Please note that due to Covid-19 we are limiting the number and length of site visits, especially when they take place within buildings. This means that site visits will not be undertaken when:  

  • It is possible to provide advice and make decisions by gathering information about the property through remote methods (e.g. video call, photographs).
  • Any of the parties have symptoms of Covid-19, or have recently tested positive for Covid-19 and are within the isolation period.
  • Any of the parties involved is clinically highly vulnerable.

If we decide that a site visit is needed, the following precautions should be undertaken at all times during the visit / meeting:

  • Face masks will be worn.
  • Visits / meetings should be outdoors where possible.
  • The number of persons involved should be kept to a minimum. If the meeting / visit requires inspection of an internal area, then this should be completed as quickly as possible (preferably no more than 15 minutes) in as small a group as possible (preferably no more than 2 persons in an internal space at any time), with any further discussion to be undertaken outside where necessary (and preferably at a later time remotely).
  • A minimum of 2 metres distance should be observed at all times.
  • Staff will use hand sanitiser immediately prior to entering and after leaving the premises.
  • Physical contact with any persons or with any surfaces should be avoided and to support this any internals doors / access should be unlocked and left open for the duration of the visit to avoid contact.
  • There should not be any exchange of physical materials (plans, reports etc…).
  • If at any time during a visit / meeting a member of staff decides that these requirements are not being met they have the right to end the site visit and contact the customer remotely.

The member of staff that will visit your property will contact you before the site visit to confirm that the arrangements for the site visit and that these restrictions are understood.

Request pre-application advice

Charges

There is a charge for this service which depends on the size of the development you are planning and the type of advice required:

Service we provide Fee (incl VAT) Timescale (calendar days)
Householder
Advice on proposed extensions and alterations to existing dwellings. Meeting not included but can be requested following the initial advice.		 £180              14  

Need for consent
Advice on the need for planning permission.

This will not constitute a formal decision and a lawful development certificate is the statutory process which may be useful in the future if you sell your property and queries are raised by a potential purchaser. A meeting is not included.

 £108 14

Planning history
We will provide details of the site's planning history, including a list of decisions.

Decision notices, legal agreements and plans can be provided on request, in electronic form only.

 £108 14

Listed building

Advice on alterations and the need for listed building consent.

Where there are associated planning implications, the relevant pre-application advice option should be used and listed building advice will be provided as part of that service.

 

£180

 

21

Change of use
Advice on change of use for buildings or land including with very minor external alterations eg amended shop front. Meeting not included but can be requested following the initial advice.

 £192 21
Commercial extensions
Advice on alterations or extensions to existing commercial premises. Meeting not included but can be requested following the initial advice.		 £240 21
Commercial new build
Advice on new commercial buildings (any non-residential building) with a proposed floor area of less than 1000sqm gross floor space. Meeting not included but can be requested following the initial advice.		 £540 21

Basic minor dwellings - schemes proposing 1- 9 new dwellings 
Advice only on the principle of the development and no other matters.

Information provided by the applicant should include a description of the proposals and ideally a site plan. No internal or external consultation would take place. The officer response will outline relevant policy, constraints, the acceptability of the principle of development and other main issues (as bullet points only eg design, trees, contamination etc).
 
This service may be useful for those wanting information prior to an auction. Due to temporary staff shortages we cannot commit to a specific time period for responses. Meeting not included but can be requested following the initial advice.

 £360 21
Advanced minor dwellings - schemes proposing 1- 9 new dwellings 
Detailed advice on all aspects of the proposal based on the information provided. It is flexible and can provide for ongoing correspondence between us and the applicant and includes meetings as required.

We can also undertake external consultations where the necessary information has been submitted or would advise the applicant on using other bodies’ paid-for services, if necessary, where these exist eg Environment Agency, Historic England etc.		 £960 21

Follow-up advice/meeting
For further discussion following the initial advice given on any service other than ‘advance minor dwellings’ or ‘bespoke’ services where a meeting is included. Notes of any meetings will be provided.

 £120 14

S106A applications
To discuss a variation to a S106 agreement which is less than five years old.

S106A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides planning obligations to be modified by agreement between the local planning authority and the person or persons against whom the obligation is enforceable. Where the agreement is less than five years old the charge will be levied to cover the council's costs in considering, negotiating and agreeing any proposed modifications.

 £1,500 Varies depending on the extent of changes needed to the S106 agreement and if the changes need to be reported to the planning applications committee.
Conveyancing compliance checks
For solicitors seeking compliance checks for conveyancing purposes. We will be able to advise if there are any outstanding compliance matters relating to a former planning consent or advise if a development is lawful without complying with conditions on any former consent.		 £360 14

Post refusal - minor schemes (less than 10 dwellings or 1000 sqm)
For advice after receiving a refusal of planning permission, in general, where the applicant did not enter into pre-application discussions prior to submission.

The applicant can seek advice on a resubmission for the set fee. This can involve an initial meeting with the case officer to discuss how the scheme could be amended.

 £498 14

Post approval
For advice on amendments or variations to schemes following planning approval or for advice relating to conditions imposed on any approval.

This service also applies to listed building applications.

 £180 14
Major schemes - 10 dwellings or more or 1,000 sqm of floorspace or more (Bespoke advice)
Please email planning@norwich.gov.uk in the first instance to arrange a meeting with us to agree a bespoke service and fee for pre-application advice. See more information on bespoke advice.
 		 To be agreed To be agreed