There are now two ways to deal with pre-application enquiries but these are not to be confused with the major pre-application consultation process. Please view one of the following for the relevant fees and requirements:Pre-application advice will not confirm if a project falls under permitted development - please see Planning Application Wales Permitted Development Rights for Householders.
Please email completed pre-application and statutory pre-application forms to [email protected]
Fees can be paid over the telephone following confirmation of an application number which will be emailed to you.
Statutory Pre-application Advice
This is a process set by the Welsh Government.
We require a completed pre-application advice enquiry form (PDF, 126 KB) along with indication of the increase in floor space and/or the number of new units proposed, site address and location plan at a minimum.
The appropriate fee must be included to enable processing:
- Householder - £33
- Minor Development - £332 (1-9 dwellings; floor space including change of use less than 999 sqm)
- Major Development - £797 (10-24 dwellings, floor space including change of use 1,000 to 1,999 sqm)
- Large Major Development £1,328 (More than 24 dwellings, floor space including change of use more than 1,999 sqm)
This will enable the department to provide a written response to all valid enquires and should, at a minimum provide the following:
- Relevant planning history of the site
- Relevant development plan policies
- Relevant supplementary planning guidance
- Any other material planning considerations
- An initial assessment of the proposed development, based on the information above
Discretionary Pre-application Advice
The information in this document has been designed for print and may not be fully accessible online.
For more comprehensive advice, we still provide our discretionary pre-application enquiry service subject to a separate discretionary pre application advice enquiry form (PDF, 245 KB) and fee structure:
- Householder / Minor applications - £60
- Minor Development - £300 (1-9 dwellings; floor space including change of use less than 999 sqm)
- Major Development - £3000 (10-24 dwellings, floor space including change of use 1,000 to 1,999 sqm)
- Large Major Development £6000 (More than 24 dwellings, floor space including change of use more than 1,999 sqm)
A discretionary pre-application response will do the following:
- Explains which policies/standards are likely to apply to the development
- Identifies at an early stage any need for specialist input (e.g. about listed buildings, trees, landscape, noise, transport, contaminated land, ecology and archaeology),
- Helps ensure that your application is complete and, for validation to avoid rejection at registration stage or early refusal because of inadequate information,
- Indicates where a proposal is unacceptable, saving you the cost of an application.
Once you have submitted the form we will contact you to arrange a meeting if necessary and will write to you with our advice and recommendations. This will be between 30 days and eight weeks from when we receive your application, depending on what type of building project it is.
A pre-application enquiry is not a legal requirement and you can apply for planning permission without it.
Pre-application consultation for major applications
Not to be confused with the above pre-application processes, there is also now a requirement to undertake certain consultation for major applications prior to submission of any planning application to the authority.
Guidance on Pre-application Consultation
If, as part of your pre-application consultation, you need to contact the Highways Authority for Cardiff please use the following address - [email protected]
Pre-application consultation reports will be required from 1 August 2016.
Get a formal decision on whether you need planning permission (Lawful Development Certificate - LDC)
A pre-application enquiry offers professional advice about your building work but it is not a formal planning decision. If you want a definite yes or no answer about whether or not you need planning permission you can submit an application for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC).
LDC applications for proposed use or development is half the usual planning fee. Existing use or development is the full fee.
For more information about Lawful Development Certificates, and to apply, visit the Planning Portal Wales website.
Advice about land use
Planning Aid Wales is an independent charity which provides advice and support on all aspects of planning permissions for how pieces of land are used in Wales.
