Before you undertake any building project, you MUST first obtain the approval from the local planning office, in short get planning permission.

Planning permission is the single biggest hurdle for anyone who has acquired land on which to build a house, there is never a guarantee that permission will be given and without it your project cannot start.

The purpose of the planning system is to protect the enviroment, it is not designed to protect the interests of one person over another, councils are tasked to ensure that development is allowed where it is needed, while ensuring that the character and amenity of the area are not adversely affected by new buildings.

There are 3 types of planning permission.

Outline
This is an application for a development, it basically lets you know, in advance, whether the development is likely to be approved. Keycraft can offer a free initial cad drawing and site visit and help with this stage.

Reserved matters
This is a follow up stage to an outline application which gives more substance and more detail.

Full planning permission
This is the most widley used and is for the erection or alterations of buildings or changes of use, when consent is granted it is for a specific period of time, this period of time is 5yrs.

Full architects drawings are required for full planning permission. You can use our architect (chargeable service) who has experience within this field or if you woul prefer to use your own that is also acceptable.

When your forms and plans are ready for submittion to the planning office the planning officer will arrange them to be listed in the local newspaper under 'latest planning applications' and will write to your neighbours and give them 21 days in which to raise any objections, after this time your planning officer will raise a file with any objections or supporting information and will make a recommendations on the application, ready for presenting it at the next planning committee meeting, they will discuss your case, reject it, ask for modifications, or accept it.

If they reject it you can appeal, you will need to know why it was rejected, and change your plans accordingly for re-submission.