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  12. Planning Duty Officer

Planning Duty Officer

The Planning Duty Officer service provides the opportunity for a planning officer to assist you with simple questions (not including 'Do I Need Enquiries'), relating to home projects such as those set out below. 

  • House extensions, including conservatories and porch additions
  • A garage or outbuilding
  • Creation of a new or altered access
  • Dormer windows or roof alterations
  • Erection of a wall or fence
  • Installation of a satellite dish
  • New windows or doors
  • External cladding.

Officers will be unable to provide verbal or written confirmation as to whether these projects require planning permission, are permitted development or if the development is acceptable. The alternative pre-application advice and Lawful Development Certificate routes must be followed for this advice.

The support offered through this service can also include help with completing planning application forms but is not a service that offers an opinion on the acceptability of a development proposal. This Service does not offer a definitive opinion on whether planning permission is needed, this can only be gained through the submission of a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC).

The Duty Officer is available on Mondays and Thursdays between 9am and 1pm by calling 01775 764703.

Although officers will try to assist with your enquiries as much as possible, there are some queries that the Planning Duty Officer cannot help with, which relate to:

  • providing an opinion on whether planning permission would or would not be granted. For this, you will need to seek pre-application advice via our Pre-Application Advice service.
  • Seeking confirmation as to whether or not planning permission is required for a specific development. Formal confirmation of this kind can only ben gained via the submission of a Lawful Development Certificate.
  • specific queries about other planning officers applications. If your enquiry relates to a specific planning application, please contact the Planning Department on 01775 764703 and ask to speak to the relevant case officer.
  • giving advice about larger or more complex development proposals. For this, you will need to email or write to us for Pre-Application Advice.
  • providing written advice. Only verbal advice will be given by the Duty Officer, so this service is not appropriate if you require a written response.

If advice is sought regarding the above enquiries the Planning Duty Officer will not provide a detailed response or advice. Instead, they will assist by advising the most appropriate route of action to gain the confirmation or information requested.

If you wish to have formal written confirmation that planning permission is not required for your home project, you will need to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate.

Self-Service

Alternatively, the answer to your query may be available on the Planning Portal.

The Planning Portal offers detailed advice and provides useful tools such as an Interactive House to assist you with your queries.

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