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Pre-application service options

It can be very helpful to get advice about your planning proposal before submitting your application. This can help to overcome any potential difficulties and increase your chances of your application being approved. 

We have a number of service options to get you the help you need, depending on your type of application, budget, and support requirements. 

Support services are set up in the following packages:

  • Householder
  • Householder - listed building
  • Bronze
  • Silver
  • Gold

Householder

This service provides written advice about alterations proposed to an existing dwelling or the erection or alteration of residential outbuildings. We will not normally carry out any consultation and no meetings are provided.

We aim to provide our written advice to you within eight weeks of the request. During periods of high demand this may take longer.

The fee for this service is £150.

For dwellings that are Listed Buildings we provide a separate service which gives you access to specialist heritage advice (see below). 

Householder - listed building

This service includes specialist advice about

  1. how to preserve the historic features of a listed building
  2. how to obtain Listed Building Consent for works to a dwelling

There are three levels of service to choose from:

  • Level 1 - written advice - £150
  • Level 2 - site meeting - £105
  • Level 3 - site meeting and written advice - £255

Bronze

This service provides you with one preliminary informal discussion with a planning officer. The level of advice offered is restricted to discussing the main issues that become apparent to the planning officer during the meeting. 

Advice is given verbally. No written advice or meeting minutes are provided. 

Where the meeting is held

The meeting will normally be held online via Microsoft Teams. The planning officer attending will not normally carry out any preparation. For example, by researching the history of the site or reviewing any submitted documents.

Timeline

We will contact you to arrange a date for the meeting. This will normally be within four weeks of the request. During periods of high demand this may take longer. 

Fees and charges

The fee for this service is charged for a full hour. Meetings that end before the hour ends are not entitled to a refund. It is recommended that, after the meeting, you seek further pre-application advice at service levels silver or gold.

The fee for this service varies depending on scale of development. You can see the various charges on our fees page. 

This service is not provided for householder schemes (proposals to extend or alter an existing dwelling).

Silver

This service provides written advice which is restricted to

  • scoping the main issues and matters of general planning principle - this includes the suitability of the site for the type of development, in general planning policy terms

Visits to the site are not normally undertaken. Detailed elements of the scheme (such as design, ecology, flooding or highways matters etc) will not be considered, even if information relating to these matters are submitted with the request. A consultation will not be carried out.

Timeline

We aim to provide our written advice to you within eight weeks of the request. During periods of high demand this may take longer.

Fees and charges

The fee for this service varies depending on scale of development. You can see the various charges on our fees page. 

This service is not provided for householder schemes (proposals to extend or alter an existing dwelling).

Gold

This service provides written advice that is more detailed in nature compared to the silver and bronze options. It focuses on what we consider to be the main issues relating to the development. The advice offered is based solely on the information you submit. 

Internal consultation may be undertaken with specialist services at our discretion, but it is limited to consideration of the main issues.

Consulted responses from external partners such as Historic England, the Environment Agency or Wessex Water are not included. 

Unaccompanied site visits may be undertaken at our discretion.

Timeline

We aim to provide our written advice to you within eight weeks of the request. During periods of high demand this may take longer.

Fees and charges

The fee for this service varies depending on scale of development. You can see the various charges on our fees page. 

Please note, if you would like us to focus our response on one issue only, for example highway matters, there will be no reduction in the cost of the service. 

This service is not provided for householder schemes (proposals to extend or alter an existing dwelling).

Additional meetings

Additional meetings can only be requested:

  • for existing and ongoing requests for pre-application advice
  • for those who have paid for the silver or gold service levels. 
  • within six months of a decision we have issued in relation to a formal planning application.

Where the meetings will be held

Meetings will normally be held online via Microsoft Teams. We will contact you to arrange a date for the meeting which will normally be within four weeks of the request. During periods of high demand this may take longer. 

Fees and charges

The associated fee needs to be paid when submitting the request for the meeting. Additional meetings are normally limited to two meetings.

The fee for this service is charged for a full hour. Meetings that end before the hour ends are not entitled to a refund. It is recommended that, after the meeting, you seek further pre-application advice at service levels silver or gold.

The fee for this service varies depending on scale of development. You can see the various charges on our fees page. 

LABC warranty

With policies underwritten by 'A' rated global insurers, you can secure finance more easily and get technical guidance throughout the build. This will limit the potential for any problems and ensure your reputation is protected. You will benefit from the support of a dedicated Account Manager and Customer Service contact.

Whether you are building homes, large apartment blocks or commercial projects to sell or rent, LABC Warranty have a product designed to protect your project.

A homeowner's guide to the planning process