Pre-application Planning Advice for Householders

All Pre-applications must be submitted via our online form on this page.  Please read the guidance below before starting the application.  Please do not submit pre-applications via email or post, as they will not be processed.

Quick Links:

• Why apply for pre-application advice? 
• What is the process? 
• What do I need to submit?
• How much is it and how do I pay? 
• The application form

Why apply for pre-application advice? 

The service is not compulsory, and might not be appropriate for all situations. However, the Council actively encourages pre-application discussions for all detailed and complex home improvement proposals before submission of a planning application.

Please note, the pre-application advice you will receive doesn't guarantee planning permission will be approved.

For general advice about extending or improving your home and seeing what will need planning permission, our guidance is here.

What is the process for pre-application advice? 

The request needs to be submitted on Newcastle's pre-application system.  You must become a registered user to complete this.  This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.    You can register your details here.

• Please note you will receive an email to confirm your registration.  Please check your junk/spam folder if you do not see this appear in your inbox.

Once you are a registered user, you are ready to submit the form.  You can include any plans and supporting documents at this stage, and pay the fee.  The whole process shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to complete. 

What do I need to submit when getting pre-application advice? 

We require: 

• A payment of the £58 fee   
• Clear, concise description of the works you propose 
• A Location Plan, which identifies the site clearly, and marks the boundary in red  (ideally at 1:1250 scale).  

To help us provide clear advice, we recommend you provide the following.  

• Existing and proposed floor plans, elevations and sections to scale or with building heights marked. (preferably 1:50 or 1:100 scale)
• Existing and proposed site layout (preferably 1:500 scale)
• Photographs of site and immediate surroundings (useful but not compulsory) 
• Any other relevant information to support your application

Please ensure that each document is no larger than 8mb in size.

Will my application be confidential?

If you believe your proposal should remain confidential you will need set out reasons why and for how long it should remain so. Without this it will be assumed that the information will not need to be treated confidentially. 

You may also want to talk to your neighbours before you apply for pre-application advice 

We will not normally make this information public.  However we may be obliged to reveal details under a Freedom of Information request.  Each request is assessed on its own merits.

Please read our Privacy Notice which sets out how we use information as a Planning Department. 

How much is it and how do I pay? 

The service costs £58 per pre-application request. 

To process your application quickly, we recommend that you pay the fee using the online form when you are submitting your pre-application. Your pre-application request won't be processed until payment has been made.  

If you are submitting this pre-application on behalf of someone else, and they are paying the fee, they can make the payment here - Select 'Pre-application fees' from the list . 

If paying by phone, please ring our Payment Line on 0191 277 7208.  Please give the reference number you receive when submitting the pre-application online form.

If you are unable to make a card payment, and require a BACS transfer,  this will take longer for your pre-application to be accepted.  

• For BACS payments, our payment details are: Lloyds Bank, Account Name: Newcastle City Council Account, Sort Code: 30-93-71, Account: 63352060

Apply Online 

Click here to start your pre-application.

Remember, you need to be registered and logged in before you start the form.

if you need any technical help using the application form system you can contact us here.

Disclaimer

The Council will make every effort to ensure that the advice given in the pre-application process is as accurate as possible.

However, any advice given by council officers for pre-application enquiries does not constitute a formal response or decision of the Council with regards to any future planning applications.  Whilst it may be a material consideration, it cannot be held to bind the council in its validation or formal determination of a subsequent application.

If an application is subsequently submitted which fails to take on board advice given by officers, then the council may refuse it without further discussion with the applicant or their agent.

Customer Feedback

If you have recently applied for pre-application advice, you may wish to give us comments and feedback about the service. We're keen to consult all planning applicants about whether they are satisfied with the service provided, and so we'd like to hear your views.

Please complete a short questionnaire if you would like to take part in this survey.