Outline Planning Permisssion | Planning Consultant

What is Outline Planning Permission?

Outline planning permission is sought prior to making a full, detailed planning application in order to ascertain whether the extent and character of a prospective development would be agreeable to the local planning authority. Outline planning permission does not require as many details as a full planning application and will enable an individual, company etc. to identify whether they will likely obtain approval of the applicable before incurring costs which may be needed to produce a fully comprehensive design. Often outline planning permission will leave some details to be agreed at a later date and these are called reserved matters.

Outline planning permission for a simple and straightforward application by a planning consultant will usually take 8 weeks for consideration and determination. Should the application be for a larger or more complex development then this will usually take 13 weeks. Finally, should the outline planning permission be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) then it may take up to 16 weeks. These timescales are statutory determination periods for validating planning applications and may change subject to the complexity of the outline planning permission and the local planning authorities resource.

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What is included in Outline Planning Permission?

Outline planning permission typically requires submission of the following information:

What the development will be used for, the amount of each use and whether there are any distinct development zones;
Existing and proposed layout drawings, including access points to the site;
Indicative dimensions including the height, width, length etc. of the proposed buildings within the development;
A design and access statement.

Outline planning permission can sometimes include the following information:

A description of the intended development/works;
The number of dwellings/units and the size/area of the non-residential development;
The current use of the site/building;
Vehicle and pedestrian road, routes, rights of way, access points etc.;
Parking areas/spaces;
Refuse areas, and waste storage and collection;
The materials and character of the proposed development;
Below ground surface water and foul drainage;
Flood risk assessment;
Biodiversity, ecology, geological issues and conservation;
Boundary treatments;
Landscaping including trees, hedges, planting etc.;
Economic impact on local employment etc.;
Opening and operational hours.

As outlined on the left outline planning permission will often leave a number of details which are to be clarified/agreed at a later date and these are called reserved matters. These might be include:

The layout/detailed plan of the buildings for the proposed development;
The various dimensions of a building including its height, width, length etc. and confirmation of this for the various buildings;
The appearance and material choice of the buildings;
Access and egress for vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians etc.;
Landscape design.

What happens when I obtain approval or are refused outline planning permission?

Outline planning permission can be refused, and if so the applicant may appeal the decision. The appeal will usually then be considered and decided by a planning inspector who is acting on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Should outline planning permission be granted then reserved matters applications will need to be made within three years of the consent. The reserved matters applications will need to be approved before works can commence. Reserved matters applications can be made online via the Planning Portal.

Outline planning permission may also be subject to planning conditions. These are often used where as opposed to refusing a planning application, a local authority planning authority will grant permission but will impose a requirement for additional approvals, or may ensure that a specific target has to be achieved.

Outline planning permission may also be granted subject to planning obligations (this is often know as a Section 106 Agreement). These are used to mitigate and/or compensate for adverse impacts of the development that may otherwise lead the outline planning permission being refused. These are likely to become less common owing to the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Once outline planning permission is received it will usually last 5 years, however sometimes there is a time limited condition on an application/consent, and this can be bespoke to the outline planning application. The period where reserved matters can be applied for and approved is 3 years.

What are the benefits of obtaining outline planning permission?

The benefits of obtaining outline planning permission is that it will enable clarity to be sought as to whether the local planning authority is likely to approve the development. It results in less up front costs when compared to submitting a full planning application as it requires less details which in turn is likely to require less consultants etc. Another benefit is that obtaining outline planning permission can result in increased land value which can assist client’s will selling property and also the profit of a development.