Planning application process
Pre-application
We offer a pre-application advice service to anyone wanting guidance on a development proposal and/or prior to the submission of a planning application.
By using this service you will be able to find out whether your proposal is likely to be acceptable in planning terms, and highlight the key issues that should be addressed in your application. We provide advice and support to help minimise impacts on flooding and drainage, ecological impact and landscape impact of proposed developments.
The advice will help to ensure your submission contains all the information required, which can prevent delays in the planning process – potentially saving you time and money.
The more information you give us during pre-application discussions, the more comprehensive the advice we can give you.
Below is a list of our current fees for pre application advice:
| Development type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Large scale major developments | £650 |
| Major development | £500 |
| Minor development | £250 |
| Post-decision meetings (requiring more than one hour preparation) | £100 |
NB No fee will be charged for enquires relating to the submission of applications for the approval of details reserved by condition, non-material amendments (NMAs) or proposals where there is no planning fee.
Development types
| Minor development | Development1 (Non-mineral or waste related development) of a size of less than 1ha or less than 1000m2 in floor space |
|---|---|
| Major development | Mineral or waste related development1, including variations to existing permissions, or other built development1 with a proposed application site greater than 1ha or greater than 1000m2 proposed floor space, but excluding large scale major development (as described below). |
| Large scale major development | All new mineral workings covering more than 3 hectares or installations (including landfill sites) for the deposit, recovery and/or disposal of household, industrial and/or commercial wastes where new capacity is created to hold more than 50,000 tonnes per year, or to hold waste on a site greater than 1 hectare |
1 Including changes of use and existing or proposed lawful development enquires.
Submission of the planning application form
You can submit your application online via the UK government's planning portal where you can find further guidance.
Alternatively you can use hard copy forms.
You should pay any fees applicable when you submit the application.
Once you have submitted a planning application we check it to ensure it is valid. You should check the validation checklist guide (PDF 174KB) and the specific validation checklists provided with each application form to ensure you submit all the information necessary to validate a planning application. If you are still not sure you can contact us.
Once we validate an application we will:
- give it a planning application reference number
- place it on the planning register
- advertise it
- start a consultation procedure
As a local planning authority, Lancashire County Council collects, processes and stores personal information about you in order to administer and assess planning applications and to fulfil certain legal obligations with respect to planning. To find out more about how we process and store your data please refer to the county council's privacy notice for Development Management.
Fees
Guide to fees for planning applications
Mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG)
Decision
The Development Control Committee makes the decisions on planning applications after consideration of a planning officer's report. You will be able to put forward your views to the committee members by either speaking at the committee meeting (for four minutes) or by speaking to them prior to the meeting (if you think that speaking at the meeting doesn't give you enough time). Other people who may object or be in favour of the application and representatives from parish/town councils can also put forward their views to the committee members.
The decision making can in certain circumstances be delegated to a planning officer (see scheme of delegation (constitution appendix B) for more detail).
Once a decision is made, we issue a decision notice which clearly identifies:
- what the application was for
- the decision
- planning conditions (if applicable)
- reasons for refusal (if applicable)
Appeal
If the council refuses planning permission or imposes conditions that the applicant considers unreasonable, the applicant can appeal to the Secretary of State of the Department for Communities and Local Government within a period of six months from the decision notice.
If you appeal you need to let the council know by submitting a notice of appeal.
Any such appeal is then considered by an independent inspector of the Planning Inspectorate who will report the findings to the Secretary of State. The appeal process can either be by written representations, an informal hearing or by a full public inquiry, depending on the complexity and nature of the case.
If the county council or the Secretary of State grants planning permission, there is no right of appeal for those who object to it. It is possible to challenge the decision on a point of law but this would be a matter for the courts.
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