Guidance
1. All enquiries should use our standard form and sent by email to Planningsupport@epsom-ewell.gov.uk or by post to:
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
Town Hall
The Parade
Epsom
Surrey
KT18 5BY
2. Details of our current pre-application charges and the services provided can be found by clicking the following link:
Pre-Application and Planning Performance Application (PPA) Fees
Other relevant planning fees and charges can be viewed here.
3. The document below provides guidance on our Pre-Application and PPA service:
Pre- Application and PPA Guidance Document
4. Please make the appropriate payment to Epsom and Ewell Borough Council by cheque, or if you wish to pay by credit/debit card please contact Customer Services on 01372 732000. The case officer will not respond to your enquiry and no meeting will be arranged until the appropriate payment has been received
5. Exemptions to fees are on a case by case basis but normally limited to proposals from non-profit-making community bodies and other charitable organisations
6. Further information on PPAs can be found here including a draft agreement.
7. In order for the pre-application process to be constructive, we recommend that you submit scaled drawings and any other information you believe would help the assessment (for example photographs or supporting evidence and documentation). Scaled drawings should include a site location plan (1:1250), a block plan to show the boundaries of the site and floor plans and elevations (1:50, 100, 200 or 500 as appropriate)
8. For householder enquiries relating to whether a householder proposal is permitted development, you will need to submit an application for a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development. Further information can be found at www.planningportal.co.uk
9. For highways advice you will need to contact Surrey County Council and this is subject to a separate pre-application charge
10. We will aim to provide written responses to the majority of enquiries within 25 working days of receiving the correct pre-application fee
11. For meetings, once we have received the correct pre-application fee, the case officer will contact you within 10 working days to make the appropriate arrangements for the meeting. Meeting notes will be issued within working days of the meeting, unless otherwise agreed by both parties
12. If further information is required, in order to assess the proposals, we will advise you of this within 10 working days of the receipt of the fee. The response times above will not start until the additional information is received
13. We will endeavour to meet the time scales specified in this note, but if the time scales are not met the enquiry will still be dealt with and no refunds will be made. Please be aware that, during busier times, it is possible that applications for planning permission may be prioritised over requests for pre-application advice
14. Where requests cover more than one proposal, we will charge the different proposed schemes separately at the pre-application charges
15. We reserve the right to decline a request for pre-application advice
16. Fees are non-refundable unless there are exceptional circumstances to justify a refund
17. Disclosure of pre-planning application advice is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information/Environmental Information legislation. If you have indicated that any of the information is confidential or commercially sensitive we will have regard to this but the final decision on whether or not the information is exempt from disclosure rests with us
18. Planning officers can only give a professional opinion on the merits of a pre-application scheme. We may include officers from other specialist disciplines from within the Council. We will base our advice on the information supplied, current law and relevant planning policies
19. Please note that pre-application negotiations are not a substitute for the formal planning application process and can offer no guarantees. All pre-application advice letters will contain the following caveat:
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 planning application. All submitted applications will be the subject of publicity and consultation in accordance with statutory requirements and the Council's procedures. These, and any other matters which subsequently come to light, may result in additional issues being raised that are pertinent to the determination of the application. It should also be noted that subsequent alterations to local and national planning policies may affect the advice given.
