Apply for planning permission

You will probably need planning permission if you want to build something new, make a major change to your building (such as building an extension), or change the use of your building. If you live in a listed building, a conservation area or near to protected trees, even small alterations may require permission.

Application or notification?

For some types of development (such as agricultural building, or works to trees or hedgerows), you will need to notify us of your proposed development, with a fixed period of notice before you start work. You will be free to start the work if you don't hear from us within that notice period. You can do this via the standard application route on the Planning Portal. 

Check if you need planning permission

It is essential that you find out whether you need planning permission, or to send us a notification, before starting any building work. Otherwise, you may be breaking the law and we may take enforcement action against you.

We offer a pre-application advice service to anyone wanting help with a development before the submission of a planning application. This service only applies where the development involves a listed building or "non-householder" activities.

The aim of our pre-application service is to provide responsive, consistent and timely advice that de-risks the application process and reduces the time taken to deal with your application through the formal decision-making stage.

Pre-application advice will provide you with the following benefits:

• An understanding of how our policies will be applied to your proposal
• Identify the need for specialist input at an early stage e.g. for listed buildings, transportation, trees, landscape, noise, health, ecology, contaminated land or archaeology
• Assist in the preparation of proposals for formal submission, which, if you follow our advice, should be handled more quickly and be more likely to result in a positive outcome
• Help to reduce the time that you or your professional advisors spend in working up the proposals
• Identify those proposals that are completely unacceptable, so saving you the cost of pursuing a formal application

More information can be found at pre-application advice and pre-application advice charges.

We strongly recommend that you make your planning application online via the Planning Portal. Registration is easy and you can complete your planning application form, upload supporting documents and pay fees online by credit or debit card, or pay  over the telephone. Please note there will be significant delays to the processing of hard copies.

If you cannot apply online, paper forms may be found on the Planning Portal.

If you decide to apply without using the Planning Portal's online guidance, please check the validation checklists below to make sure that you submit all of the required supporting documents.

Information you need to supply

We determine all planning applications using national and local planning policy. There are national information requirements for all types of developments, and we may need additional information to assess how well your proposal fits our local planning policy.

National requirements (GOV.UK)

Please read the relevant validation checklist to accompany your application, as this will inform you of everything you need to submit a valid application with Wiltshire Council.

Fees and charges

Check how much your application will cost using the Planning Portal: Calculate your planning fee.

What happens to your application now

Your application will now go through the different stages of a planning application, leading from validation to decision. A detailed explanation of the stages can be found at Stages of a planning application

Once you have submitted your application, we will validate it (make sure it is correct, and check that there is nothing missing) and create a record on our Planning Register. We will consult on most applications, and there will be a period of 21 days for consultees to make comments on the proposal. Finally, a planning committee or a Planning Officer will decide whether to approve it, and you will subsequently receive a planning Decision Notice.

You can check the status of your application on the Public Register.

Check discharging conditions

Check your planning Decision Notice carefully. Planning conditions may be applied to limit and control the way in which the planning permission is implemented.

Check if you need building regulations approval

You must ensure that you contact Building Control before starting any work or development, to make sure that you obtain all necessary building regulations approval. This covers issues such as the technical details of your build, safety, accessibility and structural quality.

If you do not get building regulations approval, you may have problems getting a mortgage, insuring or selling your property. We may also take enforcement action against you.

For further information, visit Building Control.

Appeal against decisions

If you are the applicant and you do not agree with the planning decision we make, you can make an appeal against the planning decision.