Our pre application service
If you intend to apply for planning permission we strongly advise that you use this service. Applications submitted in the absence of any pre-application discussions are likely to be refused without further negotiation if significant amendments are required to make the development acceptable.
All requests for pre-application advice must be made via our pre-application advice form.
Submit using our online form.
Or download the pre-application advice form:
You must provide the minimum level of information set out in the form to ensure that appropriate and timely advice can be given. Please note we no longer accept cheques as a method of payment, however you can pay online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The table below provides details of each category of service and fee.
| Development Category | 2025/26 Charge |
| Category A - Pre-Application advice on a development proposal - New floor-space or change of use of 10,000 square metres or more (except where the proposal would provide 100 or more dwellings) or where the site area is 2 hectares or more. Development subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). | £1780 - This will cover a site visit, up to 3 no. 1 hour meetings with the case officer and one letter. Schemes requiring a greater amount of Officer input and/or review of statements by third parties to be agreed on a bespoke basis by the Business Manager, Planning Development |
| Category B – Large scale major development - Residential development of 100 or more dwellings or other major development where the site area is 4 hectares or more. | £2225 - This will cover a site visit, up to 3 no. 1 hour meetings) with the case officer and one letter. For development proposals of a more significant nature, requiring more regular meetings, other officers in attendance or review of statements by third parties a bespoke fee will be agreed. |
| Category C – Major development - Residential development of between 50 and 99 dwellings (inclusive) dwellings or other major development where the site area is 0.5 hectares up to less than 4 hectares | £1685 - This will cover a site visit, up to 2 no. 1 hour meetings with the case officer and one letter. Where additional advice is required and/or review of statements by third parties a bespoke fee will be determined by the Business Manager Planning Development. |
| Category D – Small scale major development - Residential development of between 11 and 49 dwellings (inclusive) dwellings or other major development where the site area is 0.5 hectares up to less than 4 hectares | £1130 - This will cover a site visit, up to 2 no. 1 hour meetings with the case officer and one letter. Where additional advice is required and/or review of statements by third parties a bespoke fee will be determined by the Business Manager - Planning Development. |
| Category E – Small scale other development - Examples include: Residential development of between 2 and 10 dwellings or where the site area is below 0.5 hectares. | £670 - This will cover a site visit, 1 hour meeting with the case officer and one letter. |
| Category F – All other development and consents not within categories A to C but excluding householder development - Examples include: 1 new dwelling. New floor space of less than 300 sqm or change of use (excluding change of use to 2 or more dwellings which falls within the above categories). | £235 - This will cover a site visit, 1 hour meeting with the case officer and one letter. |
| Category G - Wind turbines | £1485 - This will cover a site visit, 2-hour meeting with the case officer and one letter. For proposals of a more significant nature, requiring more regular meetings a bespoke fee will be agreed by the Business Manager, Planning Development |
| Category H - Householder applications - Works to a house or within its garden. (NB. a fee DOES NOT apply to Listed Buildings in domestic use, for maintenance and repair or thermal upgrading advice (unless part of a redevelopment proposal – see pre-application categories above), or if the building is identified as heritage at risk (e.g., if on a recognised heritage at risk register and/or in a Conservation Area at risk and the proposals would demonstrably contribute to reducing or removing heritage at risk). | £76 - This will cover a site visit by the case officer and one letter. |
| Category I – Advice which is not covered by any of the above categories or requires a fee to be agreed with the Business Manager Planning Development | A bespoke fee will be agreed in advance based on the likely time taken, the level of experience of the Officer as well as other specialists required to provide any such advice. |
| Category J - Advice on proposals for works to trees protected by a Tree Preservation Order or within a conservation area | Service no longer provided. |
| Category K - Follow-up advice - This is based on an amendment to the scheme in an attempt to make it acceptable but does not include complete alterations to developments that require e.g., reconsultation(s). | Half of the above fees for categories A to H. Category will be calculated on a bespoke basis. |
| Category L - Annual fee for Pre-application advice for major landowners - This will cover up to 4 meetings per annum with an Officer and provide advice on day-to-day operational proposals associated with the land holding. Site visits will be undertaken throughout the year as required by the proposals being discussed. Written advice will be provided as required following the meetings. Excluded from this fee would be matters such as development proposals of land for major housing developments which would be subject to the fees in the schedule above. | £5150 |
| Category M - Pre-application proposals presented by the applicant/developer prior to submission of a planning application or applications presented prior to determination - A few applications each year due to their scale and/or complex issues, for example, benefit from involving the community and Councillors. The case officer for these types of application will recommend to the developer/applicant that consultation is undertaken via a Developer Consultation Forum. The fee is in addition to the fee levels above. |
£575 - unless a Planning Performance Agreement has been entered into and includes this cost. |
| Category N - Empty properties (dwellinghouses) - Available, at the discretion of the Council, to empty property owners who are working with the Council to bring their property back into habitable use. | NIL |
| Category O – Variations or modifications to a section 106 Planning Obligation - Applicable when the variation or modification is not required following submission of a new planning application, i.e., those variations/modifications sought independently by a developer. |
£118.50 |
| Category P – Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas - For all proposals falling outside of Category H – Householder proposals. Development that requires listed building consent and/or planning permission for proposals that might affect the setting of a listed building and/or a conservation area or other type of recognised heritage asset. A fee DOES NOT apply to Listed Building projects comprising maintenance and repair advice unless part of a redevelopment proposal (see pre-application categories above), or if the building represents heritage at risk (e.g., if on a recognised heritage at risk register and/or is located within a Conservation Area at risk) and the proposals would demonstrably contribute to reducing or removing heritage at risk. |
For explicit enabling development or heritage cross-subsidy projects, a meeting/consultation of no more than 1 hour will be provided free of charge. Thereafter, the fee to be paid will be dependent upon the amount of time that it will take to deal with the enquiry. Due to the bespoke nature of advice in relation to heritage assets, this will be calculated on a case-by-case basis. The fee will be advised and will be required to be paid prior to providing advice. The hourly rate will be those set out below. For heritage owners who are (a) on Universal Credit or similar; (b) owners of a High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) scheme; or (c) owner of a Heritage at Risk property, advice will be provided without a charge. Evidence of Universal Credit (or similar) must be provided prior to a consultation/meeting. |
| Category Q – Advice regarding conditions on Applications Requiring Approval - Conditions can often be attached to decision notices requiring further information to be submitted either prior to the commencement of development or during the construction of the development for approval by the Local Planning Authority. The Council is able to offer advice and clarification on what needs to be submitted in order for the condition to be considered favourably reducing the risk of the formal submission being refused. The rate charged will be dependent upon (a) the number of conditions; (b) the complexity of conditions; and (c) whether external advice [that is charged to the Council] is required. Please contact either the planning officer who dealt with your application to establish the cost for this service and/or email planning@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk. You will be provided with the necessary information on how to pay for this service. |
Based on the equivalent hourly rate (or part thereof) of the relevant officer dealing with the enquiry. |
Where a fee has been submitted for advice without all other necessary information and the additional information is not received within 4 weeks of the original submission, the fee will be returned, less 5% or £5 administration cost, whichever is the greater.
Also, to encourage wider engagement, we also hold Development Consultation Forum’s for appropriate large-scale and/or contentious developments – details of which are provided in the associated document Development Consultation Forum (PDF File, 605kb)
As part of pre-application process, those developments that might benefit from a Forum will be identified to the developer and relevant parties notified of the meeting.
Your data
The personal information you provide will only be used to process the application you have made to us. Find out more in our Planning privacy notice.