Planning application process - step by step

1. Check if you need planning permission

Some minor alterations and extensions, particularly to houses, can often be carried out without the need for planning permission. This is known as permitted development. You need to check there are no specific restrictions which may have been imposed as part of a previous permission.

Basingstoke Town, Fairfields, Brookvale and South View conservation areas are covered by Article 4 directions. In these areas you may need planning permission for replacing windows and doors, and for external painting. View individual conservation area maps.

The Planning Portal website has information about work that requires planning permission:

Check if you need planning permission

Running a business from home

We will need to know details about the size and location of your property and the business activity to confirm if planning permission is needed.

Read our guide on running a business from home(PDF) [235 kb]

Applications to purchase council land

We receive many applications for temporary use of or to purchase council land/areas of public amenity open space.

Find more information on Applications to purchase areas of amenity open space

Contact details

If you have a planning enquiry, send a message to the Planning Development Team

2. Pre-application advice

We offer a pre-application advice service. This can help you identify and overcome potential issues and speed up the application process. This may help to minimise the costs of planning applications and avoid submitting an unacceptable proposal.

The advice given represents an officer’s informal opinion based on the information you have supplied and is not intended to bind the Local Planning Authority’s decision making powers on any formally submitted application.

If you submit a planning application without any pre-application discussions and there are difficulties unlikely to be resolved within the statutory time frame, negotiations will not normally be entered into, and the decision is likely to be a refusal.

Renovating or extending your home

Now is a good time to consider how you can make your home more energy efficient too to save money on your bills, make your home warmer and more comfortable and shrink your carbon footprint.

We provide free help for everyone in the borough to make their homes more energy efficient.

To find out more, send a message to our Green Team. Please include your property’s full address and post code in your enquiry text.

Type of advice and fees

Pre-application consultation

A planning application which has had the benefit of consultation with stakeholders and interested parties prior to its submission will result in an improved proposal.

You should therefore undertake your own consultations with relevant councillors, the parish council, and local residents.

You will need to carry out consultations directly with utility companies including Hampshire County Council Highways (HCC), HCC Lead Local Flood Authority, Environment Agency planning-farnham@environment-agency.gov.uk

Our Statement of Community Involvement details the level of public engagement and consultation that developers should take with local community before submitting a planning application- see summary on pages 49 and 50.

Pre-application confidentiality

Council staff and councillors have access to all pre-applications submitted to the council.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, we may consider pre-application submissions, which are commercially sensitive, and confidential. A public interest test will be applied to decide a proposal can be deemed as confidential. Should the information fall outside of this category, or a planning application is submitted on the site for a similar scheme, the information may be made available to the public.

3. Submit a planning application, forms and fees

We strongly advise that planning applications should be submitted electronically where possible. Paper submissions will still be processed but there may be some delay in the processing.

Online through the Planning Portal website

Paper forms and our validation checklist

All applications must comply with the information and document requirements as set out in the National Requirements checklist and the Local Requirements checklist for any given application type.

Fees for planning application and consents

Fees are set by central government and deals with the processing of the application. The fee is non-refundable once the application has been registered. You can find out the fees through the following:

• By visiting the Planning Portal fee calculator
• A guide to fees for Planning Applications in England

Tips for submitting a valid application

To prevent any delays dealing with your application it is important to ensure that your application is complete and has been checked before submitting it to us. Details of the information required for different types of application can be found by clicking on the relevant application form in the application types section.

The top five reasons why applications are not valid when received are:

1. Discrepancies between plans – for example, a window shown on a floor plan must also be shown on the elevation drawing.
2. Certificates – as part of the application forms you are required to complete an ownership and these are often missed and not submitted.
3. Planning fees – these need to accompany the application and until they are received the application will remain invalid (see the section on fees for planning applications and consents above).
4. Unauthorised use of Ordnance Survey (OS) plans – unless you have a licence to reprint OS plans, using them as your application plans is restricted by copyright. Land Registry plans and Google Maps are also not acceptable. Buy authorised plans from the OS website or Buy authorised plans from the Planning Portal.
5. Disclaimer on plans – where a plan has ‘do not scale’ on it we will have to seek the plan author’s agreement to remove this from the plan. All plans/drawings submitted as part of a planning application must be able to be scaled from.
6. Out of date signatures on application forms and certificates are NOT acceptable
7. CIL form must be filled out and dated on or after the application date

Example of the type of plans required as part of a planning application submission. (PDF 127 KB)

A3 size plans are preferable, and we are unable to accept plans larger than A1 size. Where possible please provide plans/drawings/documents in PDF format.

Please avoid the following on submitted plans/drawings:

• Location plan - incomplete red line not showing entire site boundary
• Block Plan – proposed works not identified on plan
• Screen shots of plans/drawings are NOT acceptable – they are not to scale

Please note that if you submit information including responses to sections in the application form which subsequently transpire to be inaccurate or false then this could impact on the timescales for issuing a decision.

Design and access statements

A design and access statement is a concise report accompanying certain applications for planning permission and applications for listed building consent. They provide an outline for applicants to explain how the proposed development is suitable to the site and its setting, and demonstrate that it can be adequately accessed by prospective users. Design and access statements can help decision-making by enabling us and third parties to better understand the analysis that has supported the design of a development proposal.

The level of detail in a design and access statement should be proportionate to the complexity of the application, but should not be long.

Further advice on what a design and access statement should cover can be found in the planning practice guidance.

Biodiversity checklist

All local authorities have to consider the conservation of biodiversity (natural environment) when determining a planning application. Government planning policies for biodiversity are set out in section 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

As part of 1APP (National Application Form), the submission of a biodiversity survey and report is listed in Local Planning Application Requirements - further information on what is included for planning applications can be found in the biodiversity checklist.

Most of the Hampshire Local Planning Authorities (under the umbrella group of HIPOG) have adopted a joint working approach to the local requirements. All local authorities in Hampshire have identified the submission of a biodiversity survey and report as a requirement for certain application types. Find biodiversity checklists on the Hampshire County Council website.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

The new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) came into effect from 25 June 2018 and will be payable on relevant planning permissions granted from this date. Visit the CIL pages for further information.

Great Crested Newt District Licence Scheme

Great crested newt populations have suffered rapid declines over recent decades, due to habitat loss. The species spend most of their life on land in habitats such as woodland, hedgerows, grassland and scrub, but return to freshwater ponds in the spring to breed. They are generally found within 500m of ponds (although they can travel much further than this – even up to 1.6km).

Great crested newts and their habitats are fully protected by law and impacts on the species must be considered as part of the planning application process. Where impacts on newts may arise, developers should obtain a licence to make their activities lawful and ensure that the impact on the species will be mitigated. An evidence-based 'Impact Risk Zone' map has been published that shows the different risk zones for impacts on great crested newt. The Risk Zone map for Basingstoke and Deane can be seen below.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council holds a Great Crested Newt District (or “Organisational”) Licence, designed by NatureSpace and granted by Natural England, which provides an alternative licensing option for developments.

Please refer to the council's current guidance for further information on the Great Crested Newt District Licence Scheme page

Nitrate Neutrality in relation to the Solent

Position Statement on Nitrate Neutrality in relation to The Solent

The council has recently received a consultation response from Natural England in relation to a planning application for residential development in the catchment of the River Test and Itchen (as part of the wider catchment to the Solent). As submitted, Natural England have advised that the application could have potential significant effects on Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (SPA) and Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Natural England have advised that they require further information in order to determine the significance of these impacts and the scope for mitigation for that application. The further information required is:

Assessment of water quality impacts of the operational phase of the development on the designated sites.

Without the submission of this information, Natural England may place an objection to proposed new residential development. The issue of nitrate impact on the Solent has received coverage in the media recently. The aforementioned consultation response is the first received in this Borough. Officers have been and continue to liaise with Natural England to understand the specific issues as far as they might be relevant to BDBC. As soon as more specific advice is received this will be communicated so as to provide advice for applicants, residents and other interested parties in relation to affected planning applications.

In the meantime the council will not issue decisions for new residential development in the relevant catchment areas where wastewater generated by the development could have potential significant effects on Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (SPA) and Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC), unless Natural England have been consulted and confirmed no objection to the proposed development.

Case officers of current applications and appeals will be contacting applicants/agents on this matter. If there are any queries on whether your site is potentially impacted please contact the relevant case officer.

Update to Position Statement 10 May 2022

On 16 March 2022 the council received updated information from Natural England in relation to the methodology for calculating impact of development in relation to nitrates. Specifically with regards to the River Itchen catchment the guidance advises that phosphorous and nitrogen are causing environmental effects. Previously only nitrogen was considered to need mitigation. This is a significant change and will mean that the council will only be able to grant planning permission for new residential development, which potentially affects this catchment area, where the phosphate as well as the nitrate impact can be appropriately addressed. Unlike nitrate impact where mitigation has started to be identified enabling planning permissions to continue the position in relation to mitigation for phosphates where necessary is far more uncertain. This means that unless it can be shown how a development proposal will avoid or mitigate any adverse effect on the nationally protected sites, the council will not at present be in a position to grant permission within that catchment.

On 20 April 2022, Natural England issued a revised Solent (applicable to River Test catchment) nutrient budget calculator, see below for the latest version. The council continues to liaise with Natural England to ascertain whether any further updates to the calculator are likely pending in particular following a recent Court of Appeal decision. Accordingly the calculators (one related to the Itchen catchment and one related to the Test catchment) are being published for use by applicants on the basis of it being the most up to date position at this time.

Update to Position Statement June 2022

Further to updates provided on 10 May 2022 Natural England have released updated versions for the Itchen Nutrient Budget Calculator and the Solent Nutrient Budget Calculator. The council continues to engage with Natural England and will provide any further updates at the earliest opportunity.

Update to Position Statement February 2024

Natural England have released updated versions of the Itchen Budget Calculator and the Solent Nutrient Budget Calculator which can be found in the link below. There may be further changes to the calculators if any waste water treatment works are found to be exempt from the time requirements of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023). Any such exemptions are expected to be announced by April 2024. If you have a live application in at that time there may be a requirement to resubmit any nutrient neutrality information to comply with any new calculators and it is recommended that the case officer for the application is contacted for further advice. The council continues to engage with Natural England and will provide any further updates at the earliest opportunity.

View Solent Nutrients Basingstoke Catchment Map (PDF) [3.61mb]

View Natural England Summary Guide on Nutrient Neutrality (PDF) [146kb]

View Itchen and Solent Budget Calculators

View Natural England Advice on Achieving Nutrient Neutrality for New Development in the Solent Region V5 June 2020 (PDF) [2.38mb]

View Natural England Summary Advice on Achieving Nutrient Neutrality for New Development in the Solent Region V2 June 2020 (PDF) [3.61mb]

View Permit levels for Waste Water Treatment Works (WwTWs) within the River Test and River Itchen catchments (PDF) [181kb]

Strategic Mitigation - nutrient neutrality offsetting

A number of schemes are now coming forward outside of the Borough to mitigate the impact of nutrients generated by new development where this cannot be addressed on site. Such schemes are being generated by taking land out of agricultural use and putting the land to alternative uses in perpetuity following agreement with Natural England. Further details of schemes for the River Test and River Itchen catchments can be found at Nutrient Mitigation - Partnership for South Hampshire (push.gov.uk).

The Council has now entered into a legal agreement with Eastleigh Borough Council who have established such a Nutrient Neutrality Offsetting Scheme. This legal agreement enables applicants to bring forward development within the River Test catchment using Eastleigh Borough Council’s scheme for mitigation through the purchase of credits. Should applicants wish to explore whether this approach is suitable for their development proposals further details can be found at Nutrient Offset Scheme (eastleigh.gov.uk). The Council is also continuing dialogue with other strategic mitigation providers about the prospect of securing the use of further out of Borough mitigation schemes.

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development, that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand. This means protecting and enhancing important existing habitats and ensuring that environmental features which are lost or degraded are compensated for by restoring or creating new habitats; it is a necessary approach to help enable the recovery of nature across England in light of the ecological emergency we are facing.

The Council have been requiring net gain from development for some years now, but new legislation has now come into force that makes it a statutory obligation.

On 12 February 2024 , mandatory biodiversity net gain commenced for major development under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021).

Small site development includes residential development where the number of dwellings is between 1 and 9, or if unknown the site area is less than 0.5 hectares, and commercial development where floor space created is less than 1,000 square metres or the total site area is less than 1 hectare. For small sites, mandatory BNG commenced from 2 April 2024 .

Please refer to the Council's current guidance for further information on the BNG webpage.

Paying for a planning application or enquiry

5. Post decision conditions and amendments

Planning permission is usually granted subject to conditions. This may require the submission of further details for approval before development begins. If development begins and the conditions have not been approved the planning permission may not be valid. Details of how to submit condition details for approval are provided on the decision notice and further advice can be found on the How to discharge a planning condition guidance.

Post decision forms and guidance notes on discharge of conditions are available on the Planning Portal website.

Or they can be downloaded from our website - Planning Application forms.

Before submitting information to discharge a condition please check the wording of the condition and make sure that the information submitted meets the requirements of the condition. Make sure any plans submitted reflect the plans approved as part of the planning permission. All approved details and plans will be published on our website (under the original planning application) for applications to discharge conditions submitted after 1 October 2025

We aim to deal with discharge of condition submissions within eight weeks.

We consult with certain bodies known as statutory consultees which include amongst others highways, landscape and conservation departments and the Environment Agency. These consultees have 21 days in which to respond.

If you do not comply with the requirements of the conditions we may pursue formal action which could include the serving of an enforcement notice. Planning enforcement information.

Post decision amendments to an application

If after receiving planning permission you want to make a small change to your application you can do this as a non-material amendment, but this applies only to planning permissions and permission in principle and not to listed building consents. The procedure also allows the council to impose new planning conditions or remove or alter planning conditions.

Any significant change would require a new planning application.

We cannot accept amendments if:

• the application site area differs from the original application.
• the application description differs from the original application.
• there are any relevant objections to the original proposal which would be compromised by the minor amendment.
• the change would breach any condition / S106 clauses placed on the original application.

We cannot normally accept amendments if:

• if an amendment increases the size of any part of the development.
• if the amendment locates any part of the development closer to a neighbour.
• if the amendment changes windows in any elevation facing a neighbour which increases overlooking.
• the development moves more than one metre in any direction.
• it would result in a greater visual intrusion to neighbours.
• the proposal would result in changes to the external details that would materially alter the appearance of the building.

The evaluation of any non-material amendment is specific to the constraints and opportunities of each site and what is considered a non-material amendment on one site may be material on another.

Application for non-material amendment

6. Appeal a planning application decision

You may appeal to the Secretary of State where:

• planning permission has been refused
  
• an application was granted with conditions considered inappropriate
  
• an application was not determined within the appropriate time

You can also appeal against an enforcement notice served due to an alleged breach of planning control.

To submit your appeal online go to GOV.UK Planning Inspectorate

Submit an appeal - Planning Inspectorate

You can contact the Planning Inspectorate for more information and to request appropriate forms. Contact details - Planning Inspectorate.

View appeals

You can view details of appeals and associated documents. You will need the reference number of the planning application.

View appeals

You can also view an appeal using the Planning Inspectorate's appeal reference number. View appeals - Planning Inspectorate