Checklist 2
Information for Formal Submission of Major Planning Applications
This checklist sets out the information you should send us when submitting a major planning application.
Information to be Submitted
Checklist of the information to accompany planning application forms.
- Certificate of land ownership and signed form.
- Correct fee.
- Existing site details, including schedule of existing floorspace.
- The number and type of plans submitted and the details that should be shown
on them (you will be advised of the number copies needed for consultation which
may exceed the usual 5 copies).
- High quality presentational material e.g. Photographs, models etc., coloured
plans, street scenes and perspectives.
- Description of development including a schedule of proposed floorspace.
- Statement of compliance with planning policies in the unitary development
plan, supplementary planning guidance, supplementary planning documents, planning
briefs and the London Plan.
- Design statement.
- Access statement.
- Flood Risk Assessment (where applicable).
- Transport assessment.
- Planning obligation statement.
- Construction methodology.
- Consultations in accordance with central government proposals for statements
of community involvement.
- Vehicular, cyclist and pedestrian access to the application site.
- Parking and servicing arrangements.
- Means of escape provision
Environmental Impact Assessments
Environmental Impact Assessments are required for very large, complex and potentially intrusive developments that are likely to have significant environmental effects and meet the Government's Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 criteria (e.g. shopping centres and car parks, leisure centres and multiplex cinemas, marinas, installations for the disposal of waste and transport interchange facilities).
Policy
As the planning system is plan-led, applications will be judged on whether they comply with the policies contained within London Borough of Bexleys Unitary Development Plan and the related supplementary planning guidance, coupled with the London Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Applicants should therefore provide a statement indicating to what degree of compliance that their proposal has with London Borough of Bexley's policies and guidelines in conjunction with the London Plan.
Design Statement
Applicants for planning permission should demonstrate how they have taken account of urban design issues in their development proposals and that they have had regard to appropriate development plan policies and supplementary planning guidance as required in Planning Policy Guidance Note No.1: General Policy and Principles or any superseding guidance. The Design Statement should include:
- a description of the site;
- a description of the built and natural setting;
- a description of the proposal; and
- identify the pertinent design, character, landscape and street scene issues; and
- explain in precise terms how these issues have been taken into account within the terms of the proposal.
Sustainability Statement
The London Borough of Bexley has adopted, as a supplementary planning document
to the UDP, a sustainable Design and Construction guide This requires
the submission of an appropriate sustainable design and conservation assessment
with major planning applications. The guide gives the scope of this assessment
for different kinds of development and the standards applicable to each against
which a proposal will be assessed. Applicants are strongly advised to consult
this guidance before submitting their proposals for approval.
In the case of schemes including residential uses, applicants are encouraged
to consider the Council's design guide "Design for Living".
Conservation and Archaeology
If the proposed development involves alterations to a historic building, you
should include an assessment of how the proposals would affect the special architectural
or historic interest of the building. Include an assessment of the sensitivity
of the particular areas affected and any ameliorations Proposals within
a Conservation Area should include an assessment of the appearance of the proposed
development within the context of its historic setting and the street-scene,
together with an assessment of the effect of the development on the character
and appearance of the Conservation Area. Any proposals to demolish a historic
building or a building within a Conservation Area will need to be accompanied
by detailed justification, including structural surveys.
On developments in areas of archaeological search or other locations where
finds are likely to occur, where developments may affect archaeological remains,
and on certain historic buildings, where historic evidence may be affected, applicants
should submit an assessment of the archaeological significance and the implications
of the proposed development.
Applicants should consult the character statements
proposed by the Council, or the management plans for them, where they have been
agreed
Access Statement
This is required for all developments involving buildings that the public may use. The Statement should indicate how safe, easy and inclusive access for all people is provided within the development, regardless of disability, age or gender. The Statement should identify:
- the philosophy and approach to inclusive design;
- the key issues of the particular
scheme; and
- the sources of advice and guidance used
- any contact with local disability
groups
In the case of existing buildings, particularly historic buildings, the Statement should identify the constraints imposed by the existing structure and its immediate environment, explaining how these have been overcome.
Flood Risk Assessment
Flood Risk Assessments are required for many developments depending on the location and scale of scheme. Please refer to Table D1 in Planning Policy Statement 25 'Development and Flood Risk'.
Planning Obligations Statement
This should outline the heads of terms of benefits proposed and quantify the scale of the benefits. Where planning obligations and benefits are required, applicants should also provide title evidence in respect of all interests held in the property to which the obligations relate (whether within or outside the application site). An undertaking will be required to pay the Council's legal costs, if the application were to receive a resolution from the Committee to grant permission and all of the Council's costs after the date of the resolution. Committee resolutions will normally be subject to the Head of Legal Services being satisfied that all necessary interest holders are bound by the obligations.
The Council is preparing a supplementary planning document on Planning Obligations which applicants should have regard to once published.
Transport Assessment
A Transport Assessment normally has three elements:
- an assessment
of travel characteristics,
- measures that could influence travel to the development,
and
- a description of the transport impact of the development and how this will
be mitigated.
It should illustrate accessibility to the site by all modes of travel and the likely percentage split of journeys. It should also give details of proposals to improve access by public transport, walking and cycling, to reduce the need for parking associated with the development and to mitigate any transport impact. The assessment should also consider the possible impact on safety, congestion and the local community (e.g. overflow parking). You should discuss the scope at your Transport Assessment with us as soon as you can because the amount of information needed will vary depending on the size of the development. The application forms, required for all planning applications, ask about access from the highway and parking. The following details may also be needed depending on the size and type of development.
Definition of Development Types
| Type of Development |
Defined Size |
| Residential |
10-29 units |
Small |
30-99 units |
Medium |
100+ units |
Large |
| Retail |
0-250m² |
Small |
|
251-999m²
|
Medium |
|
1000m²+
|
Large |
| Commercial (offices) |
0-1000m²
|
Small
|
|
1001-2499m²
|
Medium
|
|
2500m²
|
Large
|
| Industrial |
0-1000m² |
Small |
1001-4999m² |
Medium |
5000m²+ |
Large |
| Warehouse |
0-1500m² |
Small |
1501-9999m² |
Medium |
10000m²+ |
Large |
Other development
generating |
More than 100
on-site parking spaces |
Large |
more than 50
two-way vehicle trips |
Large |
On all major development you should tell us:
- what provision is to be made for pedestrians, cyclists and disabled people;
- the breakdown of proposed parking by type (operational, visitor, residents
etc);
- what public transport facilities exist (distance, frequency of services
and scope for enhancement).
On medium sized developments we will need additional information about:
- existing traffic flow on adjacent roads (and source of data);
- existing site
traffic (comprising weekday, highway peakhour and development peak hour totals
broken down by vehicle type);
- projected site traffic (comprising weekday, highway
peakhour and development peak hour totals similarly broken down;
- net additional
site traffic, i.e. the difference between the previous two figures;
- and likely
assignment of traffic where there is more than one access to the site.
On large developments we would also expect to see:
- junction modelling and assessment of traffic impact on links on adjoining
highway network (extent to be agreed with us);
- inclusion of traffic likely to
be generated by other committed developments;
- future-year testing (including
growth factors agreed with us);
- a description of any potential environmental
impacts arising from the traffic from the development with particular reference
to sensitive or residential areas;
- and any phasing of the development (including
temporary works).
Regardless of the size of development:
We may ask for a detailed assessment to support smaller developments in transport sensitive locations. When you contact our Highways staff, they will be able to tell you which of the elements mentioned above will be needed for your scheme. As well as describing measures that will be taken to influence travel to the development as part of the transport assessment, heads of terms for a Travel Plan will often be required.
Works to the Highway Network
Where the development will involve works to the existing highway, or the creation of a new highway, we will ask you to sign an agreement under the Highways Act 1980. We will need to see the detailed design of highways to ensure that they are acceptable before planning permission is granted so that we can help you to avoid the need to make costly and time consuming amendments later. The submission should be accompanied by a schedule of the highway works (including any necessary traffic orders) together with a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit (to HD 19/03) and the designer's response. If your proposal will require the stopping up of an existing highway or the diversion of a public right of way you should consult any affected statutory bodies, and others who could object to a stopping up or diversion order. The results of any consultation should be submitted to us.
Construction Methodology
There is potential for a detrimental impact on neighbourhoods unless the construction process is thought through. A construction methodology statement will therefore be required which will need to address issues such as storage of materials, hours of working and deliveries to the site, access to the site construction, length of construction period and any plant installed on site, e.g. tower cranes, site offices, concrete crushers etc. This statement will need to contain not only information as to the proposed construction methods but also a risk assessment of the likely impact and actions that will be taken to mitigate the impact (such as enhancing clearing facilities).
List of Council publications for further guidance
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