The decision making process

The authority grants/refuses planning permission by sending you a letter notifying you of its decision.

Planning permission runs with the land. This means that land or buildings can usually be sold or let with the benefit of planning permission. Occasionally, however, planning conditions may limit the use or occupation of land or premises to a named person or company.

If you wish to sell or let a building or land which is subject to such a conditional permission you will need to apply to the LPA to remove or vary the condition. The application to vary/remove condition following the grant of planning permission can be applied for online via the Planning Portal.

By law, any planning permission granted expires after a certain period. Generally, unless your permission says otherwise, you have five years from the date it's granted to begin the development. If you haven't started work by then, you will probably need to reapply.

If the permission is subject to conditions, for example, requiring you to submit for approval details of a specified aspect of the development which was not fully described in the application, these must be dealt with before the development can begin.

If outline permission has been granted, you will need to submit a further application for approval of anything that was not covered by the outline application (known as "reserved matters") before starting work. This must be done within three years of the grant of outline permission.

You may also need to get other approvals such as listed building or planning permission for relevant demolition in a conservation area (both of which can be applied for online) before you can start work. Both of these application types can be applied for via the Planning Portal. Please note multiple consents can also be applied for using the online service, for example, full planning consent and listed building consent or planning permission and planning permission for relevant demolition in a conservation area.

It may be possible for you to make minor changes as you proceed but you should check the position with the LPA first. Any significant variation would require a further planning application. If, following a grant of planning permission, you need to make minor amendments to the application; this can be achieved by submitting a non-material amendment application (which can be applied for online).

Download our guidance note for a 'Non-material Amendment following a Grant of Planning Permission'¹ (PDF)

This guidance is also available in Welsh: Download our guidance note for a 'Non-material Amendment following a Grant of Planning Permission'² (PDF)

1. https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/guidance/guidance_note_wales_en-non-material_amendment.pdf
2. https://ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/guidance/guidance_note_wales_cy-non-material_amendment.pdf