Apply for planning permission
Before you apply for planning permission, have you:
- checked to see if you need permission
- sought advice using the pre-application service
- checked if your proposal meets our planning policies
- checked to see what you need to submit with your application
- calculated the correct fee
- obtained your site location plan
How to apply
For the majority of applications, you can apply using the Planning Portal.
Planning Portal is a service to submit planning applications electronically. Registration is easy and you can complete your application form, upload supporting documents and pay fees.
What happens next?
Unfortunately, it is still taking longer than we would like to process planning submissions, as we continue to face an unprecedented volume of applications.
Applications are normally picked up by planning officers in order of the date they were submitted, but sometimes we are able to deal more quickly with straightforward applications that accord with Local Plan policies (and for householder development, follow the guidance in our House Extensions SPD. A planning officer will call or email as soon as they pick up your application to let you know what's happening and discuss any issues.
If the planning officer has everything they need and the proposal is acceptable, they will aim to issue the decision soon after making contact. We will not approve or refuse the application without discussing it with you first, and we will be happy to agree an extended time period for determination.
If your application has not been determined within a set period (usually 8 or 13 weeks) you have the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. You can find instructions on how and when to appeal in the letter we sent to you (or your appointed agent/consultant/architect) when you submitted your application.
Download application forms
If you are unable to apply online, this facility allows paper application forms for any application type to be downloaded for submission to us on paper if required. As not all application types can be applied for online, the planning portal provides a list of applications for which the online service is not yet available.
Planning fees
The easiest way to find the fee for an application is to use the Planning Portal fee calculator.
Building on or over neighbouring land
If part or all of your proposal will be carried out on or over owned by someone else (for example, by the eaves or guttering overhanging a boundary, or a new driveway across the pavement) you may not be able to proceed without your neighbour's agreement, even if you have planning permission. For your planning application to be valid you must notify your neighbour using the notice to owners form.
You should also consider whether your proposal will be subject to the provisions of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 but this will not affect your planning application. More information on this can be found on the Party walls and building work pages on GOV.UK
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a planning charge on new housing and retail development that can be used by the local authority to help deliver infrastructure to support development in the area. It is a fixed, non-negotiable charge related to the size and type of chargeable development.
The CIL will affect residential developments that create new dwelling houses or additional floor space 100 square metres or over in Chester and the rural area and A1 retail space at Sealand Road, Chester and Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port.
You can find more information on our CIL page.