Do I need Planning Permission?
Deciding whether you need Planning Permission
Determining whether you need planning permission or other related consents can be quite complicated and if you are in any doubt you may wish to contact our Planning Advice Team who can provide guidance on the regulations and the procedures to be followed. To contact us you can:
- Email developmentcontrol@lancaster.gov.uk
- Telephone the Planning Advice Team on 01524 582950 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
- Call in to Lancaster Town Hall Customer Service Centre where a Planning Advice Assistant will be available for you to see.
Householders benefit from certain Permitted Development (PD) rights, meaning they can carry out certain works without the need to apply for planning permission. The PD rules changed significantly in 2008. Advice covering both planning and building regulations is available on our Improving your House page.
Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
Specialist advice on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas is available from our Conservation Team.
Pre-application Advice
If you would like advice on whether your proposals will be looked upon favourably by the council, you are advised to discuss this with a Planning Officer.
The council encourages applicants to engage in pre-application discussions, particularly for major schemes, as this is often the most effective way of ensuring your planning application is approved in a timely manner. Experience shows that addressing key concerns early on in the process is beneficial to all parties.
For major schemes, the council will adopt the Development Team approach. A Development Team is where the council invites a range of professionals to engage in discussion with developers regarding all aspects of the planning application and consultation process.
The aim of the Development Team is to involve statutory consultees so that all parties are aware of the key issues and any potential planning contribution requests prior to the submission of the application.
In the first instance the point of contact will be the Senior Planning Officer (Major Applications). This officer will act as a co-ordinator for the Development Team and will invite the appropriate statutory consultees. The type and scale of the proposal will determine the participants at the Development Team meeting. Representatives could include officers responsible for highways and transport, conservation, environmental health, ecology and community safety.
The council advises that effective advice can only be provided via a Development Team if the scheme is capable of evolving in response to the matters raised at the meeting(s).
The Development Team approach is offered free of charge. The use of a Development Team approach does not guarantee a planning approval.
Contacting a Planning Officer
Planning Officers are available to take telephone calls from 9:30am to 11:30am Monday to Friday. For Householder queries, please contact one of the Planning Assistants within the appropriate team in the first instance.
Strategic (Major) Planning Applications
North Team - Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth, and all parishes north of the River Lune (except Slyne with Hest and Halton with Aughton)
South Team - Lancaster and all parishes south of the River Lune, plus Slyne with Hest and Halton with Aughton