How Does PreApp Work and What Can You Expect from the Service?
Welcome back to the PreApp blog hosted here on our website! Today’s article features a brief outline of how the PreApp system works and what you can expect to get out of it to increase the chances of gaining planning permission for your desired development. If you’re not already, be sure to follow us across all social media platforms and subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly video content!
How does PreApp work?
So, when you make use of the service, you’ll initially step through one of two doors, that is…
Householder Submissions - Relevant to any application for an amendment, extension or alteration to an existing home; its existing or proposed outbuildings or changes to its boundaries or garden curtilages.
Full Planning Application - Relevant to the creation of a new home or homes; either through new build, change of use or subdivision. Any change of use proposal or any associated with a commercial use class.
Once you’ve gone through those particular doors, you’ll go down two separate paths, but both are essentially a questionnaire. The questionnaire will give us more information on the land in question, the existing designations of the land and any other useful information that will inform the advice sought afterwards.
When you’ve filled out the questionnaire, you are able to upload any information that you think might be useful to us, such as floor plans/elevations or any other technical information that you may have undertaken. The information is then handed over to the PreApp team as a case file, and you’ll be able to follow the progress of your case file on your user dashboard.
What happens after I submit an application?
After your submission has hit the PreApp team, so will a host of real-time data that will inform the pre-application submission, this will include:
Average determination deadlines and timeframes taken by your local planning authority.
The success rate of your type of application within your local authority area within the previous 12 months.
The likelihood of achieving planning permission based upon the information you have.
The relevant policies associated with your type of application.
The cost associated with your particular type of application.
Once we have this information, the PreApp team will sense check the information that’s been provided in real-time and it will provide strengths and weaknesses of your case based upon the information you’ve provided, real-time data and geographical and physical elements associated with your land.
An example of the results page you will receive after your application has been reviewed.
This information then allows you to determine whether you wish to pursue your application and what your application should consist of in order to give the greatest chance of achieving planning permission.
The PreApp results will give you a very realistic understanding as to the decision making processes undertaken by your local planning authority in reality rather than best practice advice that is never kept to in reality. It will give you the information that will improve the quality of your submission in comparison to the general approach and decision making with your local area and will also identify what you need to include as additional extras within your application in order to give it the best chance of achieving planning permission.
Ultimately, this is the information that any pre-application submission should achieve, but ultimately it is the information that is never provided. PreApp is a reinvention of the pre-application system that seeks to give you the information you require to progress your planning applications.
Thank you for taking the time to read our article, be sure to visit next week where there will be another instalment of the PreApp blog! As always, please follow us across social media to stay up to date with new content and if you haven’t already, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you require any assistance with a submission, be sure to navigate to the Home page of our website and see the details there, alternatively, you can contact us any time!