Planning FAQs

You will need planning permission to carry out any development of land, including new buildings, major alterations to existing buildings and changing the use of buildings or land.

However, for certain types of changes, such as some extensions and alterations, you do not have to apply for planning permission. These are known as permitted development rights.

To find out more please visit Do I Need Planning Permission /Listed Building Consent page.

Our Planning Service team is regularly experiencing a high level of contact.

Please call Customer Services on 01480 388424 who provide a planning reception service to guide you through your queries and refer you to relevant sections of our website.

Please call Customer Services on 01480 388424 to access their planning reception service.

An advisor will try to transfer your call, or arrange for a call back request where timescale is 5 working days.

Where your query relates to a planning matter, in the first instance we encourage you to check information on our Public Access system.

For all other unavoidable officer contact we suggest you email developmentcontrol@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

The Planning Officer will normally only send letters to addresses that have an adjoining boundary with the application site, or directly opposite where appropriate.

Some applications are also advertised by site notices and in the local press.

Anyone can comment on a planning application, regardless of whether they have received a letter, or not from the council.

All comments received are carefully considered and will be taken into account when a decision is made.

To find out more please visit our Search, Comment or Track an Application page.

You can comment online by using Public Access.

All comments received are carefully considered and will be taken into account when a decision is made. Any comments must contain 'material planning considerations' if they are to be taken into account when making a decision.

To find out more please visit our Search, Comment or Track an Application page.

Comments are checked and uploaded to Public Access within 21 days.

Officers will aim to make comments publicly available, but this can take longer where we receive a large amount of comments.

Comments are summarised and addressed in the officer report, which provides justification for the decision on the application.

Comments can be accepted up to the point of decision being made by officer, but should be submitted within the stated public consultation period.

This is because a decision may be made at any time once the public consultation period is completed. If Public Access shows a decision has been made, then it is too late to comment.

Yes, we offer a pre-application service which provides an initial view on a development proposal before a planning application is submitted. Or you can consider contacting a local planning agent.

To find out more please visit Pre-Application Advice.

To submit an application, please use the online Planning Portal. You will need to complete the relevant application form(s), upload the required documents/to scale plans and pay the application fee.

There are guidance notes to assist you for each type of application on the Apply for Planning Permission /Listed Building Consent page.

Fees are set nationally by the government.

The Planning Portal will calculate the correct application fee for you. You can view the fees online. We are unable to process any applications until the fee is received.

Please visit the Planning Process page for an outline of the planning process.

We aim to determine most planning applications within the statutory time periods, which is usually eight weeks (or 13 for major developments and 16 for EIA development) from the date of validation.

If, for some reason, we are unable to determine a planning application within the statutory time period, it is our practice to contact the agent (or applicant if there is no agent) to agree a revised target date for the application.

You can search for and view planning applications on the Public Access system.

On Public Access select new search – Planning – Simple search – Enter keyword, reference number, postcode or single line of an address - Search

For further information visit the Search, Comment or Track an Application page.

Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) are made to protect trees and woodlands, to avoid landscape trees from being cut down or harmfully pruned without our permission.

Anyone intending to carry out work to a tree that is protected by a TPO must apply for, and receive, consent before carrying out the work.

To find out whether your property has a TPO on it or close to it please visit the Tree Preservation page.

Visit our Conservation Areas page.

To find out more about applying to carry out works to a tree in a conservation area, please visit our Tree Preservation page and scroll down the page to the ‘Trees in a conservation area’ section.

Unauthorised work to a tree protected by a TPO or a tree in a conservation area is a criminal offence.

You will need to submit a Tree Works Application form - there is no fee for this type of application.

Visit our Tree Preservation page and scroll down the page to the 'Submit a Tree Works Application'

If you prune a tree without consent you may be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500.

If you destroy a tree without consent, you may be fined up to £20,000.

To report any tree incidents, please visit our Breaches of Planning Control and Enforcement page and scroll down the page to the Report a Breach of Planning Control form.

If a building is listed it has been judged to be of special architectural or historic interest.

Listed buildings are protected and are included on the National Heritage List for England, which is managed by Historic England.

A listed building, due to its protected status, means extra responsibilities are imposed on owners, including the need to obtain listed building consent for certain works. To find out more please visit our Listed Buildings page.

After referring to 'Do I Need Planning Permission /Listed Building Consent' page, it's in your best interest to ask us to confirm if planning permission is needed or not before work is undertaken.

If permission isn't required, we can provide written confirmation, known as a Lawful Development Certificate.

This is your evidence that permission wasn't required if a query is ever raised.

To submit an application for a Lawful Development Certificate, visit the online Planning Portal.

We do not provide a planning history service.

Instead, to find out more, please visit our Search, Comment or Track an Application page and scroll down the page to the ‘How do I research the planning history of a property?’ section.

Members of the public have right to speak for up to 3 minutes.

If you wish to attend, please register your interest by 4.30pm the Friday before the DMC meeting.

Please do so by sending an email to developmentcontrol@huntingdonshire.gov.uk