Pre-application advice

Fees

The fees for applications can be viewed or calculated on the Planning Portal.

1. The need for planning permission

If you would like to find out whether your proposal requires planning permission, you may visit the Planning Portal: Interactive House, where you will be able to make a self assessment. However, you are advised to check with us whether there are any local constraints such as Conservation Areas or Listed Buildings which would affect your proposal, or restrictions on permitted development rights imposed on the original permission for your property.

To ensure all relevant details are considered a form is available on request from the Development Management Section (Tel 023 9254 5462), or the Development Control - enquiry form (PDF) [361KB] can be downloaded, completed and returned by post to Head of Planning Services, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport PO12 1EB.

Notification of a proposed larger Home Extension

Legislation allowing larger single-storey rear extensions to be built under permitted development rules has now come into force.

Householders are able to build larger single-storey rear extensions under permitted development, subject to a neighbour consultation scheme.

The size limits will double from 4 metres to 8 metres for detached houses, and from 3 metres to 6 metres for all other houses.

A homeowner wishing to build a single-storey rear extension within the new limits (i.e. if they extend between 4 and 8 metres, or between 3 and 6 metres) must notify the local planning authority and provide:

a written description of the proposal which includes the length that the extension extends beyond the rear wall of the original house, the height at the eaves and the height at the highest point of the extension. Apply on-line or download the paper form.
a plan of the site, showing the proposed development
the addresses of any adjoining properties, including at the rear
a contact address for the developer (the householder) and an email address if the developer is happy to receive correspondence by email
The correct fee

For the extension to be allowed under permitted development it must accord with all other relevant limitations and conditions which apply to rear extensions, as set out in Class A. If the development does not meet all the limitations and conditions for permitted development then a full planning application will be required. Further information on the legislation, notification form and guidance notes can be found on the Planning Portal.

If you wish to submit a proposal and have any further questions regarding the process and requirements please contact the planning department on 02392 545462.

2. Informal opinions on proposals - pre-application enquiries

Guidance on the pre-application process and requirements

Gosport Borough Council welcomes and encourages discussion before a householder, developer or landowner decides to submit a planning application and is committed to providing the highest possible quality of pre-application advice. To ensure that we are operating effectively and are able to sustain our current levels of service, we have decided to charge for some pre-planning application advice in accordance with the terms of the Local Government Act 2003. This ensures that the cost of providing the service is recovered directly, and does not fall as a general cost to the council tax payer. The fee structure has been devised to ensure that the levels of charges are proportionate to the scale of development. This guidance explains the new arrangements for handling general enquiries and requests for pre-application advice. The schedule of planning charges is set out below.

GENERAL RECEPTION/TELEPHONE/WRITTEN ADVICE

General enquiries and advice on planning procedures and timescales will continue to be free. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, between 9am and 5pm, a planning officer will generally be available at planning reception to give general planning advice. For general enquiries you do not need to make a prior appointment, however, it helps us to provide a timely and comprehensive response if you can arrange a prior appointment so that the planning history and relevant legislation can be checked in advance. For general enquiries you do not need to make an appointment, however, we are able to provide a response in a timely fashion if you can arrange a prior appointment so that the planning history and relevant legislation can be checked in advance. General enquiries can also be forwarded to planning@gosport.gov.uk.

The level of advice you receive will be based on the level of information that you submit to us. The more information you can provide about your proposal the more comprehensive the advice you will receive.

Pre-application enquiries

For Pre-application enquiries please complete the relevant form below and forward along with any supporting documents to planning@gosport.gov.uk or send hard copies to The Head of Planning Services, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, PO12 1EB. Where a fee is required, please telephone 023 92545462 for advice on how this can be paid.

For Pre-application enquiries where a fee is payable, please note the following requirements:-

Your Commitment will be to:

Allow sufficient time and resource to facilitate full pre-application discussions and seek agreement on target dates for the submission of the planning application.
To fully investigate the planning history of the site.
To familiarise yourself with the Development Plan policies that might apply to your proposal.
To visit the site and make a detailed analysis to establish site characteristics, constraints opportunities and the surroundings. Accurate site survey plans, levels sections/ streetscenes and tree condition surveys (where applicable) will be required if a planning application is to be submitted. Therefore, these survey plans are likely to be useful in the process of designing a scheme too. A Draft Design and Access Statement should also be submitted. Provide plans, sketches and any relevant photos which will all be useful to the planning officer in addition to completing the Pre-application form.
Accept that any complex schemes may require the submission of more detailed information before comprehensive advice can be provided.
Be aware of the limitations of this service. If the proposal is too complicated or requires further research you may need to seek private planning advice from an architect or planning agent.
To understand that any advice given by Councils' officers for pre-application enquiries does not constitute a formal response or decision of the Council as Local Planning Authority with regards to future planning permissions. Any views or opinions expressed are given in good faith, and to the best of our ability, without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application which will be subject to statutory public consultation, and assessment of the issues raised and evaluation of all available information, which, ultimately, may be by the Council's Regulatory Board.
Accept that simple enquiries will be dealt with more swiftly than complex proposals and the planning officer will give a target timescale for response on receipt of the proposal.
To be aware that that little or no weight will be given to the content of the Councils' pre-application advice for schemes which are submitted more than 6 months after the date of the advice being issued or when there has been a change in National or local Planning Policy or if there has been a material change in circumstances or new information comes to light after the date of the advice being provided.
To pay reasonable legal fees which would be identified and communicated to you with any draft planning agreement.
To supply the names and addresses of all the owners / mortgagees of the land to ensure that any legal agreement can be quickly drafted.

Our Commitment will be to:

To acknowledge the submission by letter or email telling you which planning officer will be dealing with your query and provide their contact details and a target date for response within 5 working days. We will also tell you if any further information is needed before pre-application advice is offered.
Undertake an appropriate consultation exercise, carry out a site visit and provide a written response and/or meeting within the target timescale given, or if further issues are raised through the process which require further consideration keep you updated on progress and provide an amended target timescale for response. For major proposals, where several meetings are required, we will discuss and set a timeframe for these meetings. We will aim to respond to a request for pre-application advice within the timescale set at point of registration. If this cannot be achieved because we have either had to request further information or carry out a wider consultation exercise, or for any other reason we will write to let you know.
Provide a comprehensive service that will include advice and guidance on related consent regimes, legislation and available assistance. Based on the information you have provided planning officers will provide accurate and objective advice in good faith but without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application by either Officers or Members of the Regulatory Board. Any advice given will normally be confirmed in writing.
Provided a multidisciplinary and proactive service, with ready access to professional advice and guidance from internal officers involved in the development process.
Identify all planning issues raised through the pre-application submission that will need to be addressed within any subsequent planning application, identify where additional information will be required, identify the requirements of the Council's Local List of documents required to be submitted for validation and identify any requirement for a Section 106 Agreement and advise on contributions and the Council's associated costs.
Wherever possible, determine any subsequent planning application within the relevant target timescale from registration.
Provide advice on all types of application, both prior to the submission of an application and following a refusal or withdrawal of an application.
If changes to what is being proposed in any pre-application approach are recommended, you are advised to submit amended plans for comment before any formal application is submitted. This is to avoid the problems that can arise when applicants or agents think they have overcome issues and subsequently find out that this is not the case.
All written responses will be agreed by the Principal Development Management Officer or Head of Development Management prior to issue.
As far as reasonably practical we will ensure that the case officer assessing your pre-application enquiry will also be the case officer for your planning application should one be submitted.

If you have any queries about the pre-application service please email us at planning@gosport.gov.uk or telephone 02392545461.

FEES:

General Advice			£ VAT

General enquiries and advice on planning procedures			Free

Permitted Development Enquiry

All submissions for informal opinion on requirement for planning permission		Householders	33.00
		Others	55.00

Pre-Application Submissions - advice on the likelihood of planning permission being granted prior to the submission of a planning application

Minor residential:	1 - 3 dwellings	See also Note 1	195.00
	4 + dwellings	See also Note 1	400.00

Major residential:	10 - 49 dwellings	See also Note 2	970.00
	50 - 100 dwellings	See also Note 2	1,540.00

Minor industrial/commercial:	under 1000m ²	See also Note 1	160.00


Major industrial/commercial:	1000 - 5000m ²	See also Note 2	970.00
	5000 + m ²	See also Note 2	1,540.00

Others: e.g. Change of use of property or land / Adverts / Telecommunication Masts			195.00

Other major / very large scale / mixed proposals:	Fee will be hourly rate x no. of hours of officers dealing with the matter

Householder Development (development which relates to the extension, improvement or alteration of an existing residential dwelling):			72.00

Community uses which are non-profiting			Free
Proposals made by Local Councils			Free
Works to trees			Free

Notes:

1. Where a fee is payable and the proposal affects a Listed Building or its setting or is located within a Conservation Area an additional charge of £99 will be levied.
2. Where a fee is payable and the proposal affects a Listed Building or its setting or is located within a Conservation Area an additional charge of £242 will be levied.
3. Where a consultee charges the Borough Council for advice provided this will be payable by the applicant in addition to the pre-application fee payable.
4. Proposals for large and/or mixed use development or where no floorspace or dwellings specified, fee will be calculated by reference to hourly rate x no. of hours of officers dealing with the matter.
5. A response on minor and other applications will constitute one written response and/or one meeting (max 2 hrs). A response on a major application will constitute one written response and/or 3 meetings (6 hrs max in total). Any follow up written responses or meetings required based on the same proposal or an amendment to it will be calculated by reference to the hourly rate x no. of hours of officers dealing with the matter and this will be payable before the advice is provided. All new submissions will require a new fee.
6. Each pre-application request can only relate to one site and only one proposal will be accepted for each site. If you would like us to give advice on more than one layout or proposal for the same site then a separate request will need to be made for each scheme along with a further fee for each proposal.
7. There will be no reduction in fee where the application would be exempt from a fee because it had previously been withdrawn, refused or approved.
8. The fee is payable on submission, before the Council undertakes any work on the proposal or provides any advice.
9. The choice of who is the appropriate officer to deal with a particular case will be at the discretion of Gosport Borough Council.
10. Hourly Rate - £72.00

Other Charges

Section 106 - Planning Officer costs in negotiating agreement		Fee will be calculated with reference to complexity of individual agreements and the time required to deal with the request at the hourly rate
Section 106 - Compliance Checks where applicants/prospective purchaser seeks confirmation that the terms of a legal agreement have been complied with.

More advice

For advice on the policies contained within the Gosport Borough Local Plan 2011-2029 under which your proposal will be considered.

The Council has prepared a Parking SPD.
The Council has prepared a Design SPD.

Applications determined after 1 February 2016 could be liable for the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). CIL charges are calculated by taking the floor space of the development and multiplying it by the CIL rate for that use. Details of the process, how to calculate the liability and the current charging schedule are available on the CIL link above.

On some sites there may be issues which need to be addressed before your proposal can be considered acceptable and it is in your interests to resolve these issues at the pre-application stage. The following are the most common reasons for delay in determining planning applications:

A series of documents from Gosport's Local List will be required to register applications. List of documents required by GBC LPA .
In particular circumstances, site specific mitigation of the impacts of the development may be required. These may be secured by planning condition or planning obligation. Agreements are made by the legal owner of the land and we require it to be ready for signature within 8 weeks of the date of submission of the application or the date of the Regulatory Board at which the related application is to be considered. Further information can be found within the Planning Obligation and Developer Contribution Strategy (PDF) [378KB] .
Contaminated Land will require remediation. Please contact The Environment Agency (external link) or Contact EHS for further advice.
Flood Risk Assessments may be required. A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment has been prepared. A guide on Guidance for New Development in Flood Risk Areas (PDF) [108KB] is available. Details of Flood Zones can be found here. Please contact The Environment Agency (external link) for further advice.
Affordable Housing will be required for schemes of 10 or more residential units at 40% of the total number of units as set out in Policy LP24: Housing.
In certain instances it may be necessary for development of 50 or more residential units to provide a financial contribution towards a specified off-site open space proposal in lieu of all or part of the required on-site provision. Further details and indicative costs are set out in Guidance for Policy LP34 - Indicative Open Space Costs (PDF) [105KB] .
An Appropriate Assessment may be required where there are national and international nature conservation interests. Please contact Natural England (external link) for further advice
An Ecology Report may be required where protected species may be present and further advice can be found if you click here.
Solent Special Protection Area (SPA) mitigation measures are required for all residential development. The Gosport Bird Disturbance Mitigation Protocol April 2024 (PDF) [645KB] sets out how the 'in combination' effects on the Solent SPAs can be mitigated by a financial contribution. From 1 April 2018 there is a sliding scale of contributions based upon the number of bedrooms in the new property. Details of the contributions can be found in the Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy (PDF) [2MB] .
Natural England have issued guidance requiring all developments within the Solent area which would generate additional wastewater to be 'nutrient neutral'.

Pre-application Forms

For Pre-application enquiries where a fee is payable please use the following application form:

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Pre-application advice