Winter support
Colchester Borough Council is providing support for residents, businesses and communities throughout winter.
Colchester Borough Council is providing support for residents, businesses and communities throughout winter.
First of all, did you know that not all building projects require planning permission?
It focuses on the impact your building project has to other people and other areas outside of the site.
For example, its visual impact, impact upon neighbouring properties and access.
Planning permission decides whether a certain building project takes place, controlling the right to build on land and protecting other people.
Read more on the Planning Portal
All our decisions are made based on The Local Plan. This is the strategy for the future development of the local area.
The following are just a few of the areas that we look at when considering an application:
Read more on the Planning Portal
What happens after you have submitted an application?
There are various types of development that are already granted planning permission so they don't require permission from us.
These building projects are known as "Permitted Development (PD)".
Sometimes the right to do these permitted developments will be limited by national criteria or because when previous permission was granted specific restrictions were put in place.
For example, you can add a conservatory on to the back of a house as long as it is a certain size (provided we have not removed that right when the house was given permission).
Read more on the Planning Portal
Building Control approval is different from planning permission.
It focuses on the technical side such as making sure building regulations are upheld and public safety is maintained.
For example, does the building have the correct foundations?
Most planning applications require Building Control approval.
Building Control have legal powers to prosecute those who don't comply with building regulations through the Planning Enforcement Team.
Read more on the Planning Portal
Useful guides will help you decide if you need it. Some of our favourites are:
An extension to your property does not always need planning permission.
Use our guide to work out if this is needed.
Change of use is where a category of a building or land changes.
For example, a shop wishes to become a restaurant or someone wishes to start equestrian use on agricultural land.
In most cases, planning permission is required but there are exceptions.
Read more on the Planning Portal
You will need authorisation from Essex County Council for any works affecting a road. However you might not need planning permission.
For example, you don't need planning permission to put in a dropped kerb but if you are creating or altering access onto a Classified Road (Classes A, B and C), planning permission will be required.
Read more on the Planning Portal
If you meet specific criteria you will not need consent from us.
Read more on the Planning Portal
You will need planning permission if it is held within the curtilage of a building (i.e. a school or pub car park).
You will need planning permission if it lasts more than 14 times in total in any calendar year.
You don't need planning permission if it lasts less than 14 days in total in any calendar year and occurs in an open field.
For all events, you must send us formal notification 28 days before the car boot sale or series of car boot sales are held.
Failure to do so can result in a prosecution and a possible fine of £1,000.
We need to know the following information:
You don't need to do this if:
Other factors might affect your building project:
If you are unsure if you need planning permission or you want to check if your building project would be a permitted development.
Submit a Certificate of Lawfulness
If you know you need planning permission, but would like specific advice.
Submit a pre-application
If you know you need planning permission, but don't want specific advice.
Apply for planning permission
If you want to apply for Building Control approval.