Help and advice before you apply

Planning Officers are available, on request, to give advice about whether planning permission is needed and to discuss any proposals before submitting an application. Contact Us.

Our aim is that everybody within the district can contact us and get help, irrespective of distance, time or ability.

Talking to a planning officer

A duty officer is available to help you when our reception is open. Otherwise Planning Officers can offer advice and assistance before you submit your planning application. The Planning Officers each deal with different parts of the district.

Please contact them if you would like a meeting with an officer for the area you’re interested in. Different officers deal with different types of work and usually different areas of the district. Our Implementation Officers investigate possible breaches of planning control. Planning Assistants usually deal with applications for householder development, works to trees, changes of use and small developments. Planning Officers deal with larger applications such as small housing estates and industrial developments.

Form reading, interpretation and completion

Help is available from the planning and building control reception area with reading, understanding and interpreting forms. We can also help you to fill in the forms. The information we need is often detailed and complex and we have explanatory notes to assist.

Access and parking

A large car park with parking spaces for people with disabilities is located to the rear of the council offices in Bradley Road. All the entrances are ramped. Within the building a lift is available in the main reception area to provide access to the planning and building control reception on the first floor. Public toilets, which are accessible for persons with a disability, are available on the ground floor of the building.

Sign language interpretation

Some of our planning and building control reception staff are trained in sign language. We can also arrange for a sign language interpreter to be present at meetings on request. Please call 01225 776655 (minicom) in advance of meetings if you would like this service.

Induction loop

A loop system is in our reception area, in the council chamber and at area committee meetings.

Other services on request

Services such as large print and taped information can also be arranged. We can prepare large print text to your preference within our office. We can arrange for information to be prepared on tape and supplied to you in about 7 days. Magnifying facilities are also available at our reception desk.

Please ask us if you need an interpreter.

• Wir sind gerne bereit, Ihnen in Deutsch behilflich zu sein, wenn Sie das bevorzugen.
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• Possiamo provedere aiuto a qualsiasi persona che avrebbe bisogno di una mano in inglese.
• Si vous préférez nous contacter en français, nous nous mettrons à votre disposition.