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Public consultation on draft SPD12: Design Guide for Extensions and Alterations

The formal public consultation on the second draft SPD12 is now closed.

Planning controls over changes of use to small Houses in Multiple Occupation

The council is bringing in changes to the planning process concerning small Houses in Multiple Occupation in some parts of the city.

On 5 April 2013, an article 4 direction relating to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) comes into force in five electoral wards within Brighton and Hove.  In those wards, the direction means that a planning application will be required to change the use of a single dwellinghouse (defined as C3 use in planning legislation) to a small house in multiple occupation (C4 use class).  Small HMOs are properties lived in by between three and six people where facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom are shared. 

You will not need to apply for planning permission for properties whose lawful use was a small HMO (class C4 use) before 5 April 2013. For more information please visit our dedicated page.

UPDATE

Houses currently in C4 use do not benefit from ‘householder permitted development rights’. Therefore planning permission is required for external extensions and alterations to such properties. For any queries in relation to these issues please contact Development Control on 01273 292222 in the first instance.

Neighbourhood Planning – First Application Received

Rottingdean Parish Council have submitted and application to become a designated Neighbourhood Area. For more information on this and to make representations please visit the Neighbourhood Planning Webpage.

Application fees increasing by 15% on 22 November 2012

DCLG has written to Chief Planning Officers to announce that there will be a 15% increase to planning application fees in England commencing on 22nd November 2012.

This will apply to all applications.

The Planning Portal is currently making the changes to the Portal fee calculator to be ready for the change.

DCLG has released a PDF of the letter sent to LPAs covering the fee increase. You can download it here.

Article 4 direction – Houses in Multiple Occupation

From 20th April to 20th July 2012, the Council is consulting on a proposed Article 4 Direction affecting Houses in Multiple Occupation in five of the city’s wards.

Eco-Friendly News

From January 2012 only one paper copy of all documents submitted will be required for single planning applications.

The House that Kevin Built

Take a look at The House that Kevin Built on the University of Brighton website and see all the latest updates and information on the development.

New sustainability checklist

All planning applications that require a sustainability checklist must use the new version of the Brighton & Hove Sustainability Checklist.

More information and a link to the new checklist is availabe on the sustainability checklist page.

Cycle storage - new guidance

Download our new cycle storage guidance and find out more information on our cycling web page.

Sustainable building design - new factsheet

Part L, Code level 3, sustainability and Greenfield sites? Confused? This new factsheet aims to dispel some of the uncertainties. Please note the Sustainability Checklist itself contains very useful information on design for sustainability.

Renewable energy sources

See Compare Renewables for an overview and case studies of alternative sources of renewable energy.

Checklists - please check your application before sending it to us

Use these checklists to make sure your application is right first time -

• Householder checklist
• Full Planning checklist
• Conservation Area Consent Checklist
• Listed Building Checklist
• Advertisement Checklist
• Lawful Development Certificate Checklist
• Telecoms checklist
• Outline Planning checklist
• Reserved matters checklist
• Variation or removal of Condiitons checklist
• Approval/discharge of conditions checklist

Most delays to applications are because of simple things -using the checklist will give your application a headstart. Do the checklists help? Please let us have your thoughts and suggestions.

Guidance on Householder Permitted Development Rights

Permitted Development - Please see the 'Do I need Planning Permission'? page. This also links you to national guidance on common domestic projects such as loft conversions.

Design and Access Statements

Key changes in the requirements for Design and Access Statements (DAS) from 6 April 2010: 

Type/location of application	Previous status	New Status
Householder development (flat or single dwelling house)  in National Park, AONB,  SSSI	DAS required	DAS not required
Alterations that do not increase the size of a building and not in a Conservation Area	DAS required	DAS not required
Extension to an existing non-residential development not exceeding 100 sq m and not in a Conservation Area	DAS required	DAS not required
Non-residential building or structure up to 100 cubic metres and not exceeding 15m in height and not in a Conservation Area	DAS required	DAS not required
Walls, gates, fences and other means of enclosure up to 2m in height, not in a Conservation Area	DAS required	DAS not required
Plant or machinery not exceeding 15 metres above ground level or the height of the original plant or machinery and not in a Conservation Area	DAS required	DAS not required
Extension of time	N/A	DAS not required
Applications for the removal or variation of conditions on existing permissions (s.73)	DAS required	DAS not required

 A Design and Access Statement is required for all development in a Conservation area, except for a Change of Use, unless external alterations are proposed. 

Any works to a listed building will require a Design and Access Statement.

Revised Biodiversity Checklist

Following feedback from regular users, the Biodiversity checklist has been simplified, the indicators have been reduced and the checklist is no longer required for all types of full planning applications:  Biodiversity_Checklist_[50_KB].doc

Extending time-limits, minor amendments to approvals, discharge of conditions

An important change has been made which affects all planning applications in Brighton & Hove where conditions have been attached which need to be discharged, including planning permissions, listed building consents and conservation area consents that have already been granted. Applicants should now make a formal application to discharge any conditions.

There are also important changes which may help people who already have planning approval. These changes allow you to apply to extend the time limit on commencing your development, and/or allow you to apply for permission to make very minor changes to your existing approval.

Government Guidance on these new flexibilities was published on 24 November 2009.

Waste minimisation statements

These statements are only required in the following circumstances:

• 1-2 housing units (new build)
• 5-10 housing units (conversion)
• 80-200sq m non-residential floorspace (new build)
• see also SPD_on_Construction_and_Demolition_Waste
• and Site Waste Management Plans and presentation [ppt 3.65 MB] on the background to these, given to the September 2009 Agents Forum.