Smarter Developments

• Introduction
• Working Together on Major Planning Applications
• Pre-Planning Application Advice Service
  • Information to be Submitted
  • Application Form
• Information for Formal Submission of Major Planning Applications

Contact Details

• Contacts Page

Checklist 1

Pre-Planning Application Advice Service

The London Borough of Bexley welcomes and encourages pre-application discussion before a planning application is submitted. These discussions are of significant benefit to applicants/developers through:

• identifying key planning issues and requirements
• speeding up the development process
• minimising subsequent planning application cost
• avoiding abortive applications

The Development Control Service will seek to process all applications within government targets. However, it is highly likely that applications submitted following a pre-application discussion will typically progress faster, particularly where the proposals have taken on board the issues raised in the pre- application written advice.

Fees and charges are applied to some categories of development advice to enable high standards of provision and to ensure that the cost of providing these services is recovered directly, avoiding these costs falling as a general cost to the council taxpayer. The statutory planning application fees do not cover the cost of pre-application planning advice services.

This scheme is operated under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), the Local Government Act 2003, the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 .The charging regime below covers the following categories of proposed development:

• Category A - Major development proposals £2020 (including VAT)
• Category B - Minor Development proposals £680 (including VAT)
• Scheme Exceptions - No fee

Where additional officers are required at meetings to give specialist advice, e.g. on highway or conservation matters, additional charges will apply. The appropriate hourly rate for officers' time is dependent upon their seniority. In the event that additional investigations or meetings are required after the main meeting, additional charges will be made at the appropriate hourly rate. Please refer to section Level of Charges.

Category 'A' Major Development Proposal

• Provision of 10 or more residential units
• Residential development on a site of more than 0.5 hectares
• Creation or change of use of over 1000 m² of commercial floor space
• Non- residential development on a site of more than 1 hectare

Category 'B' Minor Development Proposal

• Provision of commercial development of 100-999m² of new floor space
• Creation of one or more new residential units
• Changes of use of 100m² - 999m²
• Advertisement application for hoardings
• Proposals for Telecommunications equipment and masts

Scheme Exceptions

The charging scheme will not apply to:

• Householder extensions and alterations
• Discussions in connection with smaller business applications, and related advertisement proposals
• Certificates of lawfulness, enforcement or advice to any local resident affected by a development.
• Roll out programmes for Telecommunication masts and equipment
• Development proposals by London Borough of Bexley
• Site disposals by London Borough of Bexley up to the point of selection of a preferred bidder
• Early stage discussions initiated by London Borough of Bexley pursuant to its own strategic objectives.

Such advice at this time will continue to be provided free of charge.

Scope for Discussion

The matters suitable for discussion at the pre- application advice meeting could include:

• Information on the relevant policies and other planning requirements.
• Provision of advice regarding the procedure, consultation, and estimated time scale in regard to the process of the application.
• The required information for making a valid planning application.
• Indication of the likely requirement for contributions by the developer, such as levels of affordable housing or highways payments.
• Informal and without prejudice comments and guidance on the content, construction and presentation of an application likely to satisfy the Council's planning policies.

Information Required for Pre-Application Advice Meeting

The Council will require sufficient information to be provided to enable a quality advice service to be provided. This includes:

• A description of the proposed development and schedule of proposed uses.
• A site location plan (scale 1:1250).
• Photographs and sketch drawings showing the site, buildings and trees as existing, together with the schedule of uses.
• Outline of proposal (on plans scale 1:200).
• Sketch drawings showing height / scale of development.
• Information on affordable housing where appropriate
• Information on sustainability measures
• Available information on traffic generation, servicing, access arrangements and parking . This should normally include as a minimum the initial scoping report on transport issues
• For larger sites other information may be required, including potentially EIA related information or a draft environmental statement

Standard of Service

If you have a Category A Major or Category B Minor development proposal where you wish a pre-application planning meeting with subsequent written advice please download and submit a pre-application request form, together with standard fee and accompanying information. The pre-application request form is available here and should be sent to:

Head of Development Control
London Borough of Bexley
Development and Public Protection Department
Wyncham House
207 Longlands Road
Sidcup
Kent DA15 7JH

Alternatively if you wish to make a preliminary initial enquiry about this service , you may wish to use the following telephone contacts:

Planning Case Co-ordinator - 020 8308 7762
Planning Policy Manager ( Major strategic applications) - 020 8308 7779
Planning Team Leader ( North ) - 020 8308 7772
Planning Team Leader ( South ) - 020 8308 7763 .

Within 7 days of receiving a preliminary initial enquiry confirmation will be made that your proposal requires a pre-application advice fee and a copy of the request form will be sent to you or downloaded here.

Within 7 days of receipt of a of pre-application request form, standard fee and proposals, the service will contact you to:

• Advise of the proposed professional specialist officers providing advice at the pre- application meeting. For major developments up to 4 specialist officers, and for minor developments up to 2 specialist officers, are included subject to availability, for attending the meeting within the standard fee. For developments where additional specialist officers are requested at the meeting they will attend, subject to availability, and additional charges will apply. See 'Level of Charges' section below
• Any additional information that is required before pre-application advice is offered; and
• The name of the planning case officer(s) who will be handling your enquiry and contact details.

Please note the service has the right to decline a request for pre-application advice where it is not considered either appropriate or necessary, and in such circumstances refunds will be made where request forms and fees have been submitted.

Subject to the availability of all the required information, the case officer will contact you within 14 days to arrange a pre-application planning advice meeting. Meetings are normally held at Wyncham House, 207 Longlands Road, Sidcup, Kent DA15 7JH. Following the meeting a detailed advice letter will be sent within 14 days outlining the major planning issues, constraints and requirements, which have been agreed by senior management. In some circumstances further research, site investigation or meetings will be required and will be subject to additional charges. In such circumstances this will be agreed at the conclusion of the advice meeting.

Levels of Charges

The standard fee charges are:

• Category 'A' Major Development proposals £2020 (including VAT)
• Category 'B' Minor Development proposals £680 (including VAT)

The fee includes any amount of time taken on a case by a planning officer, from the investigation stage to the actual meeting and the final written comment. The charge for Category A Major development proposals includes attendance of up to 4 professional officers at the meeting from a range of disciplines as necessary e.g. development control, planning policy, highways, environmental health, architects, conservation, housing. The charge for Category B Minor development proposals includes attendance of up to 2 professional officers

Where further additional officers are required at meetings to give specialist advice additional charges will apply .The appropriate hourly rate for officers' time is dependent upon their seniority, as set out below:

Occasionally a prospective applicant may also request attendance and involvement of an officer at Director or Assistant Director level. This is not included in the Standard Fee and details of the hourly charge out rate that apply can be provided on request.

The table below provides a typical example of a Category 'A' Major development proposal involving a proposed development of 30 dwellings on a brownfield former industrial site next to a railway line where the following service is provided:

• A meeting at the planning office with up to 4 relevant professional core staff (e.g. Planning Team Leader, Planning Policy Officer, Highways Officer, Environmental Health Officer). This attendance is included within the Standard fee.
• Specialist housing officer requested to attend the meeting concerning affordable housing issues
• Senior Architect requested to attend concerning urban design matters
• Letter of advice following the meeting

In the event of additional investigations or meetings being required additional charges will be made at the appropriate hourly rate as set out above e.g. further work could be required in the above example in connection with land contamination issues following the first meeting.

Payment of Charges

• The standard fee £2020 for Category A Major developments and £680 for Category B Minor developments must be paid prior to the first meeting.
• Additional charges will be invoiced within 10 working days from the date of final comment. Invoices must be settled within 21 days. If a meeting is cancelled charges may be made for any pre-meeting enquiries or other investigations that have been carried out
• The Council fees where stipulated in this Guidance Note are flat rate fees for the current financial year.
• Cheques should be made payable to 'London Borough of Bexley'.

Please Note:

Any advice given by Council officers for pre-application enquiries does not constitute a formal response or decision of the council with regards to future planning consents.

Any views or opinions expressed are given in good faith without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application, which will be subject to public notification and statutory / non-statutory consultations, and ultimately decided by the Council.

You should therefore be aware that officers cannot give guarantees about the final formal decision that will be made on your planning or related applications. However, the pre- application advice will be taken into account in the determination of the future planning related applications, subject to the proviso that circumstances and information may change or come to light that could alter the position.

It should be noted that if the planning application is delayed for a significant period then any pre-application advice may be overtaken by changes in national, regional or local policy and guidance.

Information to be submitted under the Pre-Application Planning Advice Scheme

The Council will require sufficient information to be provided to enable a quality advice service to be provided. This includes:

• A description of the proposed development and schedule of proposed uses.
• A site location plan (scale 1:1250).
• Photographs and sketch drawings showing the site, buildings and trees as existing, together with the schedule of uses.
• Outline of proposal (on plans scale 1:200).
• Sketch drawings showing height / scale of development.
• Information on affordable housing where appropriate.
• Information on sustainability measures.
• Available information on traffic generation, servicing, access arrangements and parking. This should normally include as a minimum the initial scoping report on transport issues.
• For larger sites other information may be required, including potentially EIA related information or a draft environmental statement.

Application Form

• Application Form (64KB, PDF file)

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