How Planning Applications Work

Every planning application in England follows the same broad shape: it is submitted to the local planning authority, checked, consulted on, assessed against policy, and decided. What varies is how long each step takes, who gets consulted, and who signs the decision. This guide walks through the whole process from the perspective of both a resident watching an application on their street and someone submitting one.

1. Submission and validation

Applications are submitted through the national Planning Portal or directly to the council. The first thing a council does is validate the submission — check that all required documents are present, the fee is correct, and the forms are filled in properly. Nothing else can happen until the application is validated.

Validation typically takes a few working days but can stretch to a couple of weeks in busy periods. If something is missing the case officer will write to the applicant listing what is needed. The clock on the statutory decision period does not start until the application is valid.

2. Registration and consultation

Once valid the application is registered, given a reference number, and published on the council's planning portal. This is the point at which it becomes visible to the public and starts appearing on services like PlanningChecker. The formal consultation period begins.

Statutory consultees are notified: parish councils, highways authorities, environment agencies where relevant, and any statutory bodies whose remit is affected. Neighbours whose boundary adjoins the site are usually written to. A site notice is often posted, and larger applications get an advert in the local press.

The public consultation window is normally 21 days from the date of the notice, though comments received after that are generally still considered up to the point of decision.

3. Case officer assessment

A planning officer is assigned to the case. Their job is to weigh the proposal against the local plan (the council's own planning policies), the National Planning Policy Framework, and any adopted supplementary guidance. They will visit the site, review consultation responses, and often negotiate small changes with the applicant.

Comments from the public are read and taken into account, but only where they raise a material planning consideration: things like design, scale, highway impact, drainage, overlooking, loss of light, or effect on heritage. Personal disputes, loss of a view, or the identity of the applicant are not material.

4. Decision

Most applications are decided by an officer under delegated powers — the elected councillors have handed them the authority to sign off on straightforward cases. Larger or more contentious applications go to a planning committee made up of councillors, who vote on the officer's recommendation in a public meeting.

The statutory determination periods are:

• Eight weeks for minor and householder applications.
• Thirteen weeks for major applications (10+ dwellings or 1,000+ square metres of floorspace).
• Sixteen weeks for applications subject to Environmental Impact Assessment.

These are targets; in practice councils regularly agree an extension of time with applicants where a decision needs more work.

5. After the decision

If permission is granted, it usually comes with conditions the applicant must satisfy — details of materials, hours of construction, landscaping, drainage strategies, and so on. Many of these need to be discharged in writing before work can start.

If permission is refused, the applicant has six months to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, an independent national body. Third parties (including neighbours who objected) cannot appeal a grant of permission — only the applicant can appeal a refusal.

Where residents can influence the outcome

The consultation window is the single most effective moment to have your say. A well-argued written comment that focuses on material considerations, cites specific policies in the local plan, and offers evidence (photos, sightlines, traffic counts) carries real weight with officers. A generic objection carries almost none.

For contentious applications heading to committee, you can usually register to speak at the meeting — often for three minutes. Contact the council's democratic services team a few days in advance.

Where applicants can smooth the path

Most councils offer pre-application advice, usually for a fee. Taking this up before submitting is almost always worth it: the officer will tell you which policies are the pinch points, what supporting information you will need, and whether the scheme is broadly acceptable in principle. It shortens the process and reduces the risk of refusal.