Make a planning application

This page tells you how to: 

• submit a planning application
• download forms
• make a payment and
• where to get help and advice.

Not sure which application to submit or if one is required?

See below links for guidance:

• Do I need planning permission
• Planning fees and charges supplementary document
• Pre-application and pre-planning advice

Submit electronically

To help speed up the planning process all our applicants and agents are encouraged to submit electronically.

You can use the Planning Portal to submit and pay for your application online. 

Please note:
The Planning Portal are aware there are issues which may affect Apple users on iOS 12.5.5.  A fix is currently being tested. In the meantime if you experience any issues please contact planning@cornwall.gov.uk to discuss an alternative way of submitting.

If you are unable to submit electronically via the Planning Portal, please download forms and send to the following address.

Cornwall Council, Planning and Sustainable Development,
PO Box 676,
Threemilestone,
Truro,
Cornwall,
TR1 9EQ.

Please note this is a postal address and not open to the public.

Guidance

For advice on what to submit with your application, please see the below documents.  Planning recommend following this guidance.  This helps avoid invalid submissions due to missing information.

Validation Guide

The new Validation Guide 2023 is now live and validation requirements apply from 01 April 2023.

• Tree Application Validation Document
• Prior notification guidance note

For householder applications, applicants may wish to consider an accredited agent.

Please also visit our:

• Additional Development Guidance page for more technical guidance including:
  • Annexe Guidance Note
  • Permitted development rights in respect of agricultural buildings Class Q.
• Validation updates page. This provides up to date information and changes.
• Make a better application page. This includes the top 10 invalid reasons as well as advice on what to submit
• Interactive mapping. This can help identify some of the constraints and designations at the site

To view constraints and designations follow the above link to interactive mapping.  Once the relevant area has been identified using the location search select the layers tab.  Most designations can be found by expanding the Environment and Planning option.  However there are also mapping layers for Listed Building, Historic Environment and Public Rights of Way.

Contaminated Land

There is currently no publicly available layer on our interactive mapping which provides information on contaminated land.  In order to determine whether a site could potentially be affected by contamination please see page 4 of the following document:

• Public Protection's Land affected by contamination - Developers guide and information requirements for planning applicants. 

Privacy statement

Privacy Notices - Planning and Sustainable Development Service

Planning fees

You can view a list of fees and charges in our Fees and charges document. Further information on our fees can be found within our Planning fees and charges supplementary document. The Planning Portal Fee calculator takes you through a set of questions to help work out your planning application fee.  

Submitting via the Planning Portal? All application fees must be paid via the Planning Portal for the application to be released.

Submitting hard copy? You can pay your fee online on our website or by phone on 0300 1234 151. 

Download forms

Most application forms are available via the Planning Portal find and download paper forms page.  Only forms which are not available via the Planning Portal can be downloaded below.

Please note from 1 April 2022 planning applications which can be submitted via the Planning Portal will no longer be accepted by email.

 Important information - please download and a save a copy of the below forms before making any amendments.  Any information completed directly onto the form and forwarded will be lost.