Description of proposed development

For our own development (Regulation 3) applications, where relevant, the ‘description of proposed development’ should include the following:

• built extensions (refer to no. of storey, sq. metre of floor space, no. of classrooms, purpose for instance, kitchen, office, classroom, entrance lobby, changing room etc)
• new build (detached) (refer to no. of storey, sq. metre of floor space, no. of classrooms, purpose for instance, kitchen, office, classroom, entrance lobby, changing room etc)
• temporary units/buildings/classrooms (including the above detail plus state proposed duration (months or years) to be positioned on site)
• demolition works (including sq. metre of floor space)
• new or extended car parking areas (including sq. metre area)
• new or extended playground areas/multi-use games areas (including sq. metre area)
• canopies, shelters
• play equipment
• cycle racks/shelters
• new footpaths
• access ramps
• means of enclosure (gates, walls, fences and height and type, for instance, weld mesh, bow top, palisade)
• external lighting (number and height, low level bollard or lighting column)
• solar panels
• CCTV fixed and pole mounted
• external fixed plant (air handling, a/c units, electrical supply housing etc)
• tree, hedge and shrub removal works (numbers not required)
• earthworks/levelling
• new vehicular access off [insert road name]
• hard and soft landscaping works (numbers not required)
• any proposed change of use should specify the existing and proposed use class
• for minor development works which materially affect the external appearance of a building refer to elevation changes relating to windows, doors, roof alterations and roof lights etc.

Example 1: Construction of a floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch (circa 2,500m2) with fencing varying in height from 1.2 m to 4.5 m, 6 no. 15 m high lighting columns, 3 m wide path, access gates, hardstanding and associated earthworks.

Example 2: Demolition of outbuilding (34 sq. metres) and the replacement with a single storey extension to the School House (48 sq. metres) to provide kitchen and dining facilities.

Example 3: Change of use of field from agricultural use to D1 use for school playing field.

For minerals development applications such as quarry extensions the description of development should include the scale and duration of the works.

Example 4: Ten-hectare extension to the existing quarry for the extraction of magnesian limestone until 15 February 2017.

Example 5: Extraction of clay from 5.3 hectare borrow pit over a 2 year period for use in the construction of the Lower Valley Beck flood storage reservoirs.

For waste development applications follow the same guidelines as that for built development relating to our own development (Regulation 3) applications set out above but also consider how the description can include the building type (for example, industrial/warehouse/portal frame style), scale (length, width and ridge height) and purpose and/or the proposed use of the land.

The description of development should include the types of waste involved (inert, municipal solid wastes or commercial and industrial wastes etc), the waste management processes proposed (such as recovering, treating, storing, processing, sorting, transferring or depositing of waste) and the duration of the operations.

Example 6: Erection of a portal framed warehouse type building of 36m by 24m (max. ridge height of eight metres) for waste transfer station for the receipt, sorting and onward transfer of commercial and industrial waste.

Example 7: Demolition of existing structures and the construction of an anaerobic digestion plant to produce biogas and digestate, including the construction of combined heat and power plant and associated infrastructure and soft landscaping works.

When applying for permission under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to amend an existing planning permission you should refer to the specific condition(s) and planning permission reference and the detail of the proposed amendment in the description as shown below: Removal or variation of Condition no(s)[……] of planning permission ref [………] which relates to [….] (description of condition to be varied/ removed and why)

Example 8: Variation of Condition 4 of planning permission ref. C6/19/4042/CCC which relates to the hours of use of the floodlight multi-use games area to allow for community use until 9pm on weekdays.

Example 9: Removal of Condition 18 of planning permission ref. C5/138/4024/PA which restricts access to the site to only via Old Sheepdike Lane.

When applying for the approval of details reserved by condition on an existing planning permission you should refer to the specific condition(s) and planning permission reference in the description and what the submission relates to as shown below:

Application for the approval of details reserved by Condition no(s)…….. of planning permission ref.…… relating to……..

Example 10: Application for the approval of details reserved by Condition No's 3, 5 and 7 of Planning Permission ref. C2/12/015221/CC which relates to on-site parking and materials storage area and a tree root protection method statement.

When applying for the approval of non material minor amendment(s) to an existing planning permission you should refer to that planning permission reference in the description as shown below:

Application for a non-material minor amendment(s) for (description of the minor amendment(s)) relating to planning permission ref……………..

Example 11: Application for a non material minor amendment for the removal of rooflights, reduction in the area of proposed hardstanding and alterations to lower the roof structure relating to planning permission ref. C5/1498/93/DE/CMA.

All parts of a proposal that have already been constructed should be clearly referred to in the description as "retrospective".

Failure to do this could be considered to be misleading to members of the public and consultees.

Example 12: Retrospective application for the erection of a timber canopy and outdoor play area.

Descriptions should not include irrelevant details.

The following is an example of a description that contains too much irrelevant detail.

Example 13: We want to make the playground better for the children in classes two and three by adding a gazebo so that they can shelter during wet and windy weather conditions and it will also be a suitable place for parents to wait to collect their children at the end of the school day.

Where we consider that your application form does not accurately describe the proposed development we will amend it prior to registering the application. This can result in delays in determining your application.