Planning Permission

Getting Planning Permission can be daunting if you’ve never done it before, or have been refused in the past. Please don’t be anxious, this is a process which architects do regularly, and they can advise you from the outset if your extension is likely to be approved based on their own experience and knowledge.

Most extensions will need Planning Permission. Your architect will submit a package of drawings and additional documentation, as required, to your local Planning Department. The planning process will then take approximately 8 weeks - if there are no contentious issues - during which time, the general public and other consultees (e.g. the local Town/Parish Council etc) will be able to comment on the proposed design. This whole process is overseen and managed by your architect, who will discuss the comments with the Planning Officer, with a view to getting a favourable decision. If your proposed design is looking likely to be - or is - refused, your architect will advise you as to what to do next. There are sometimes changes that can be made which will ensure your extension will get Planning Permission at a later date.

Although there are no guarantees that Planning Permission will be granted, your architect’s knowledge and experience of the planning system should help lead to a favourable outcome.

There is a fee payable to the Local Authority on submission of the Planning Application. In Cornwall, this will be £258 (no VAT) from 6th December 2023.

If you think you do not need Planning Permission, you should discuss this with your architect first. You may not need Planning Permission if your project is within certain size constraints, is not in a conservation area, and is not a listed building. If your architect advises you that this is the case, we would recommend that you get a ‘Certificate of Lawful Development’ before you start to build. Your architect can advise you on how to get this. For more information, see ‘The Planning Portal’.

At 3HW, we offer a combined Planning Permission and Building Regulations application service for extensions. For this, we produce a package of drawings and documentation for both applications which we submit simultaneously. This speeds up the process, reduces the likely architect’s fee and allows to you progress to the next stage as quickly as possible. These drawings and documents will also give the builder enough information to provide accurate quotes and to build to. Our fees for this service start at £2500 (plus VAT). We will advise you as to whether this service is appropriate for you.