Follow up after planning submission

[nickjb]

I have for applied for planning permission via the planning portal a few weeks ago. My local authority have put the plans on their website but I've had no communication. I know they are allowed 8 weeks and I expect they will use the whole time but is there any benefit in chasing them?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I usually just keep an eye on developments online and look out for Parish/transport responses and any objections from the neighbours then after about 5-6 weeks contact the officer dealing with it to see what they think. If anything untoward crops up consider responding to it.

The response you get varies from Authority to Authority though, some are more pro-active than others whereas some won't even bother looking at it until a week before the target date. Sometimes planners will ask you to make amendments in order to get it through, sometimes these need to be negotiated and plans amended or the original plans be justified, every application is different. Don't expect to get a decision before the target date it never happens.

If you don't chase them the you risk the officer just refusing it and then you'll have to re-submit amended drawings again (under the same fee at least) and waiting another 8 weeks assuming a re-submission is appropriate. Don't rely on the officer contacting you to make you aware of their concerns.

But if you paid for someone to do the application for you normally (if it was within their fee agreement) they will (should) monitor it and handle this for you.

 

[DevilDamo]

You should have received an acknowledgment letter within two weeks of the application being submitted, providing they have all the required information... because otherwise, you would have received an invalidity letter. That letter should provide you with a "decision due" by date too.