Wednesday 18th May, 2022
Should you apply for Planning Permission in Principle?
Should you apply for Planning Permission in Principle?
By Laura Potts MRTPI, CAD Planning
Planning Permission in Principle is a relatively new route
for obtaining planning permission that came into effect on 1st June 2018.
Essentially, Planning Permission in Principle (PIP) is designed to increase the
efficiency of the planning process and help to deliver more homes.
What is the Planning Permission in Principle consent
route?
The Planning Permission in Principle consent route is an
alternative way of obtaining planning permission for housing-led development.
It separates the consideration of matters of principle for proposed development
from the technical detail of the development.
The Planning Permission in Principle consent route has two
stages. The first stage (or permission in principle stage) establishes whether
a site is suitable in principle and the second (‘technical details consent’)
stage is when the detailed development proposals are assessed.
Development cannot proceed until a Technical Details Consent
has been granted.
What type of development does Planning Permission in
Principle apply to?
Planning Permission in Principle is only applicable to
developments with the following features:
· 1 to 9 dwellings
· Occupying a site of less than half a hectare if
located on greenfield land, or one hectare if the land is included on the
brownfield register
· Where commercial schemes are combined with
residential, the proposal must be for less than 1,000 square metres of
commercial floorspace
Not every element of the development under Planning Permission
in Principle has to be for housing, but it should be housing-led.
This means that the residential element must occupy the
majority of the floorspace. In addition, any non-residential elements included
should be compatible with the residential element.
How is Planning Permission in Principle achieved?
There are three different routes:
· by inclusion of the site on the local planning
authority’s brownfield register
· by direct application to the local planning
authority
· by inclusion in a development plan document or
neighbourhood plan.
What matters are within the scope of a decision on
whether to grant Planning Permission in Principle?
The scope of Planning Permission in Principle is limited to
location, land use and amount of development. Issues relevant to these ‘in
principle’ matters should be considered at the Planning Permission in principle
stage. Other matters should be considered at the technical details consent
stage.
In addition, local authorities cannot list the information
they require for applications for Planning Permission in Principle in the same
way they can for applications for planning permission.
How much time do you have to apply for the technical
details consent?
Where Planning Permission in Principle is granted by
application, the default duration of that permission is 3 years. Where it is
granted through allocation on a brownfield land register, the default duration
of that permission is 5 years.
If the local planning authority considers it appropriate on
planning grounds, they may shorten or extend these periods, but should clearly
give their justification for doing so.
What are the benefits of Planning Permission in
Principle?
Essentially, Planning Permission in Principle was designed
to be a more straightforward and cost-effective route for developers to assess
the feasibility of sites for development. The overall cost and financial risk
should be less, due to level of information required and therefore the
associated professional fees. it allows the applicant to establish whether a
site is suitable for homes or not, without going to the expense of a full-blown
planning application.
The process has the advantage of being far simpler even than
outline planning applications and therefore has a much cheaper planning fee.
What are the potential drawbacks of Planning Permission
in Principle?
This type of application is only available for smaller
residential sites that do not have habitat issues or are likely to be covered
by environmental impact legislation. Planning in Principle cannot be used for
householder applications, major applications, applications which involve
Environmental Impact Assessments and Habitats, or Schedule 1 development (e.g.
strategic applications including mining, chemical installations, pipelines,
runways, motorways, power stations, amongst other applicaitons)
There is sometimes a concern that, because the level of
information required is less detailed, planning authorities may be more
cautious when deciding on the amount of acceptable development at this stage,
and therefore less likely to approve. This risk can only be assessed on a case
by case basis.
Some also argue that taking the Planning Permission In
principle route can lead to less design flexibility in when it comes to the
technical details stage.
Is Planning Permission in Principle right for your
project?
To assess this, we would recommend getting specialist
advice.
Our dedicated CAD Planning Consultancy is highly experienced
at dealing with matters relating to Planning Permission in Principle. They are
also in regular dialogue with the local planning authority and have expert
insight into the factors that are driving planning decisions. They can help you
develop a strategy that offers the very best chance of a successful outcome.
More information on Planning in Principle can be found on
the Governments Planning Guidance website - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/permission-in-principle
For a no-obligation discussion about your project, contact
us now at studio@cadarchitects.co.uk