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Pre-application and other planning service charges

Information for our pre-application advice service.

We offer a comprehensive pre-application advice service and charges to confirm information such as whether legal obligations have been discharged. This pre-application service applies to applications which the County Council would determines for Minerals and Waste, but also includes fees for confirming that status of conditions or obligations or local searches.  Fees will depend on the service requested and the scale of the development proposed.

View our pre-application charging schedule (PDF, 330KB)

Pre-application advice for other forms of development should be addressed to the appropriate District or Borough Council or the Broads Authority

Our pre-application services have a number of potential advantages, for anyone who is considering making a planning application, now or in the future. These include:

  • Getting the best value out of your development
  • Reducing the risk of you submitting an invalid application
  • Identifying any additional advice that you might need, including specialist advice
  • Reducing your overall cost and time to develop a project through reducing uncertainty at the outset
  • Reducing your risk through identifying potential issues early in the process
  • Helping you to programme the necessary assessments and other inputs for your development
  • Avoiding problems and finding alternative solutions where needed
  • Being sure that your planning proposal complies with planning policy and is lawful

The services offered are:

Fees, request forms and disclaimer

Apart from verbal enquiries regarding the need for planning permission not lasting more than 30 minutes, a formal request will need to be made and specific information submitted with the request, accompanied by the appropriate fee. 

Waste Development pre-application form (PDF, 291KB)

Minerals Development pre-application form (PDF, 539KB)

Please pay the pre-application advice fee via our online planning payments page

The advice provided is based on officers’ profession judgement, without prejudice, and does not bind the County Council to any course of action. Neither does it prejudice any future decision made by the County Council in determining any subsequent planning application that is submitted.

The Council might need to provide information if requested by Environmental or Freedom of Information Requests.  If the proposal progresses to the planning application stage, the pre-application advice provided with be published alongside the application documents.

If, during the pre-application process, it becomes clear that further meetings or additional time is required and this is agreed, an invoice for the balance would be generated and payment required before the advice is provided.

Process following submission

Once your request has been validated, you will be contacted within 5 working days to arrange a meeting.

Written advice will normally be received within 15 working days of the meeting in the case of Minor development, and 20 days in the case of Major and Large-Scale development.

Further information

For further information about the service, send a message to planning@suffolk.gov.uk or call 01473 265066.