New regulations, effective from 10 August 2006, require Design and Access Statements to support most applications. The flow chart is designed to help you to decide whether or not a Statement will be required for your proposal.

In order to assist you further, some explanation of terms, in the form of FAQ's, is set out below:


1. What is an 'Other' application?

The regulations require statements to accompany applications for planning permission and applications for listed building consent. No other type of application, e.g. Advertisement consent, Conservation Area Consent, Certificates of Lawful Development, Prior Notifications of agricultural, forestry or Telecoms development needs a statement. Similarly, applications for approval of reserved matters, or applications to carry out development without compliance with a condition attached to a planning permission will not require statements in their own right.

2. What is an engineering or mining operation?

Engineering operations have been defined as 'works normally supervised by an engineer'. They would exclude building operations, but would include roads, accesses, sewers, bunds and ponds. Where the application is for more than engineering operations, i.e. includes building operations as well, then the engineering operation exemption does not apply. The Council does not have jurisdiction over minerals applications and therefore reference here to mining is for the sake of completeness only.

3. How do I know if the application is for a change of use?

Look at the proposal, the existing use and the answer to question 9. Where the application is for more than a change of use, i.e. includes external building operations as well, then the change of use exemption does not apply.

4. What is a dwelling house?

In planning terms, a dwelling house is a building used for single household occupation. It would include a house or bungalow, but would exclude for example, a flat (which is only part of a building), a corner shop or a care home.

5. What is an incidental building?

An incidental building would be a building within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse, which is used in connection with it. It could include, for example, a shed, garage, greenhouse, summerhouse or hobby room. It would also include a fence around the garden of the house.