Making planning applications
Before you submit a planning application you should consider taking advantage of our pre-application advice service. There is a charge for this service but it can help you be sure you are making the right application, and give you some idea of the kind of things you need to include to be successful.
At least 65% of planning decisions must be made within the Government's target of 8 weeks. We will always do our best to help you with making any necessary changes within this time. However a decision may be made without negotiation if your application requires too many time-consuming amendments.
Submitting your proposal
You need to decide which application form is the correct for your project and you can select the form from our application form index page.
However we encourage you to apply online through the Planning Portal. This is a national website and has a number of advantages:
- immediate delivery and email acknowledgement
- online help function when completing applications
- online record of your completed applications
- savings on postage and printing costs
You don't have to make the application yourself but can appoint an agent (for instance, an architect or a builder) to make it for you.
Please note any plans submitted with your application must be accurately drawn. Location plans can be based either on Ordnance Survey information (for which you need a licence) or a site survey.
For most building work you will need to make separate applications for both planning consent and building regulations (building control).
When your application is received
The case officer will inspect the site and its surroundings to assess the merits of the proposal.
Everyone likely to be affected is given the opportunity to have their say. We must always notify immediate neighbours and anybody else we think should be aware of an application. District councillors, parish councils and other agencies (e.g. highway engineers) are also consulted.
In some cases, we also seek expert advice from official bodies such as Natural England.
If the application is in a conservation area or is for a listed building, it must be advertised in the press and a notice posted on the site.
All comments are read by the case officer and the relevant points are taken into account.
What we consider when making a decision
The decision on your application will be made in line with the Local Plan (the statutory guide to how East Hampshire is expected to change and develop), Hampshire County Council's Structure Plan, and national legislation.
We will also take into account village design statements, Article 4 directions (issued by us where specific control over development is required because the character of an area of acknowledged importance would be threatened), flood risk areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty among other issues.
Who makes the decision
Around 80% of planning decisions are made by senior planning officers because the applications are straightforward.
The remaining 20% of decisions are made by the council's two planning committees which meet monthly in Alton (North) and Petersfield (South). All district councillors are members of the planning committee that covers their area. District councillors can request that any local planning application should be decided by committee, rather than by officers.
Major planning applications which affect the whole district, or raise significant questions about planning policies in the Local Plan, may be referred by a planning committee to full council for a decision. This makes sure decisions on the biggest and most challenging planning cases are made by a district-wide committee of councillors who are responsible for setting planning policies.
Once a decision is made
When the Head of Planning Services or the Planning Committee has decided your application, we will send you or your agent the official decision notice. It is very important that you read this thoroughly and clarify any points you are unsure about.
If the decision is a permission or approval, it will clearly set out any conditions, some of which will need to be complied with before you start work; other conditions may have significant long-term implications. If you have started work before receiving permission or you have disregarded planning conditions, we will consider taking enforcement action.
If the decision is a refusal, the reasons will be shown on the decision notice. If you wish to continue with your proposal, we recommend that you seek professional planning advice on the possibility of modifying your plans to overcome the problems. If you wish to appeal against our decision, you should contact the Planning Inspectorate to obtain information on their appeal procedure.
Some planning decision notices are not issued until a legal agreement (Section 106 for planning matters, Section 278 for highway matters) between the council and the applicant has been signed. These agreements ensure that legal obligations, such as payments to the council for public landscaped areas, are met in full by the applicant before development can start.
Tracking progress of an application
You can track the progress of any planning application through our online planning database, the planning case officer (contact details shown on our letter heading) or the Customer Service Centre on 01730 234246.
We suggest that you contact us to find out the progress of your planning application if you have not heard from us after eight weeks from the date we registered your application.
If we have not made a decision about your planning application by that time, the law entitles you to assume that we have refused your application and you may start an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Very few applicants decide to appeal after eight weeks and our experience shows that appeals at this early stage involve applicants in additional delay and cost. Most applicants prefer to wait for our decision.
For further information please email planningdev@easthants.gov.uk
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