The Broads Authority’s Planning Committee have asked the Parish Council to publicise that, as a Local Planning Authority, they provide pre-application advice on planning queries, including around whether planning permission is needed and on proposals.

This advice is free of charge.

There are many benefits to contacting the planning team prior to starting any work. There are instances where development takes place without the correct planning permission and this can lead,
in some circumstances, to enforcement proceedings. It is often the case that if pre-application advice had been sought, then the works might not have gone ahead thereby saving the householder time,
money and inconvenience.

Whilst, where planning permission is not needed, it is always useful to have this confirmed in writing.

The Broads Authority planning department can also advise on the correct form to use and what further documents or information will be required, and, again, this can save time and expense for all parties.

One of the main functions of pre-application contact is to give preliminary informal advice on whether a scheme is likely to be acceptable if an application for planning permission is submitted, and to advise on any changes or amendments that may be needed. Many people find this really useful and the opportunity to engage with potential applicants at an early stage is very valuable as this can help to get the best scheme on a site.

Contact should be made via email: [email protected] and it is useful to put ‘Pre-application advice request’ in the subject box.

They aim to respond within 3 weeks, but this will depend on how busy they are because dealing with the planning applications where a fee has been paid is the priority.