Development Control Charter
Planning and pre-application advice
3.1 Discussions with prospective applicants are positively encouraged by the Authority before an application is submitted. This helps the applicant to submit all the required information to enable the Authority to deal with the application as efficiently as possible.
3.2 Planning officers are available at South Efford House, Milford Road, Lymington during normal office hours (8.45 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday) to provide general planning advice and information including:
- advice on the need for planning permission;
- explaining the relevant planning polices;
- advice on how to make a planning application; and
- advice on common planning procedures.
3.3 Applicants can also telephone 01590 646615 or write to the office (South Efford House, Milford Road, Lymington, S041 0JD) or email their enquiries to dev.control@newforestnpa.gov.uk. All written enquires (including those received by email) will be acknowledged in writing within 3 working days.
3.4 For applicants who wish to discuss a specific site proposal before making a planning application, it is normally always best to arrange a meeting with a planning officer by prior appointment. This will allow the planning officer to undertake any preparatory work that might be necessary which in turn will help the Authority to provide applicants with better informed pre-application advice including:
- an explanation of the Authority’s planning policies and guidance in relation to the proposed scheme;
- the likelihood of planning permission being granted; and
- potential problems with a proposed scheme and how they might be overcome.
3.5 If necessary the planning officer will write to confirm the advice given at the pre-application stage, normally within 10 working days of the meeting. All advice given will be based on an objective assessment of the information provided but will be given without prejudice to any final decision the Authority might take in the matter.
3.6 The Authority also holds planning surgeries at the Cottage, Queens House, Lyndhurst on Thursday mornings (9.00 am – 1.00 pm). Planning administration staff will be available to give general planning advice and information to people visiting the Cottage (as detailed at 3.2 above) but anyone wishing to discuss a specific site proposal will need to make a prior appointment with a planning officer. In this respect, planning officers will be holding planning surgeries in Lyndhurst on Thursday mornings on a strictly prior appointment basis. At the same time, applicants will also be able to deposit new planning applications with the Lyndhurst office.
back to development control
