Planning advice
The Planning Development team can offer advice but there are charges - the fee depends on the type of proposal.
How to find out if you need permission
You should always establish whether a proposal needs planning permission before you apply for Building Regulation approval or make arrangements with a builder.
You can find out, through the Planning Portal, whether you are likely to need permission for a proposal but there are often conditions which restrict what can be added to a property without planning permission e g fences, walls, gates, windows.
Planning Portal
The Planning Portal website gives comprehensive information on all aspects of planning, including policy documents and circulars. You will find helpful tools:
- a calculator to find the volume of an extension
- a fee calculator
- interactive guides
Planning Development at EHDC
Advice on whether planning permission is needed
The Planning Development Management team at East Hampshire District Council is able to offer advice on a range of planning issues and you should always establish whether a proposal needs planning permission before you apply for Building Regulation approval or make arrangements with a builder.
A useful tool to determine whether planning permission is required may be found on the Planning Portal, however, in some cases permitted development rights may have been removed from a property and if you are unsure whether your property benefits from permitted development rights it is advisable to apply in writing to Planning Development to establish whether or not permission is needed.
In most cases this requires a fee in order to cover the costs of providing these services; the fee depends on the type of proposal.
From 7 January 2013 the way pre-application advice is provided within the South Downs National Park has changed. It has now introduced one level of service across the national park but it does mean that the way in which pre- application enquiries are handled inside and out the park is different.
Pre application advice for proposals that fall within the South Downs National Park
Advice for sites within the national park is free for householder and residential ‘Do I Need Planning Permission’ enquiries that do not require a meeting. There will, however, be a fee for advice regarding new dwellings or larger development, or any other advice that necessitates a meeting.
The pre-application service requires a pro-forma to be completed, depending on the development type proposed. Once completed, the pro-forma and fee payable, if required, should be submitted to East Hampshire District Council at Penns Place, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 4EX. Please note that cheques should be made payable to ‘South Downs National Park Authority’. For those enquiries that do not require payment to be processed, the pro-forma may be e-mailed to planningpreapplication@easthants.gov.uk .
Please note that such enquiries will not be treated as confidential and will be published on the SDNP website.
The relevant pro-forma can be accessed via the link below:
• Do I Need Planning Permission?
• Householder Pre-application
• Other Development
For further information regarding the pre-application service, how the service will be provided, what developments may not require planning permission and details relating to how to pay for pre-application advice, please visit the South Downs National Park website .
Pre- application advice for proposals that fall outside the South Downs National Park
Advice for those areas outside the national park in response to written enquiries will normally be given within 10 working days of receipt of details and fee. Alternatively, you may arrange a meeting with the enquiries officer to discuss the proposals in person. To do so, please call 01730 234246 or e-mail planningpreapplication@easthants.gov.uk
A copy of our charging schedule is available below. Please note that, should a meeting be cancelled within 48 hours of its taking place, the fee will not be refunded
Before any meeting, you should send details, including sketches of your proposal, photographs and any other information you think may be helpful. It would also be useful at this stage to tell your neighbours about your ideas as this may avoid potential problems or misunderstanding at a later date.
Planning Aid
Planning Aid is a network of planning volunteers providing free and independent advice to community groups and individuals who are unable to afford a consultant.
Our local Planning Aid contact is Planning Aid South: