Cornwall Council offer a pre-application advice service.
Pre applications can be submitted, if you know you require planning permission and you wish to receive advice from a case officer or consultee service prior to the submission of a formal planning application.
Current Pre-application Services
Stand-alone Services
Cornwall Council offer the following advice services as stand-alone advice:
- Planning
- Heritage*
- Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)*
- Sustainable Energy and Construction (Policy SEC1)*
*When requested as stand-alone service there will be no input from a planning officer. Should you also require planning officer advice please see the below section for add on services.
Add on Advice Services
If requesting planning advice, the following advice can also be requested as an add on service. This will incur an additional fee:
- Heritage
- Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
- Sustainable Energy and Construction (Policy SEC1)
- Historic Environment – Building and conservation and/or Archaeology.
- Land agent
- Environmental Health – air quality, land contamination, noise and odour (EH-TAP)
- Highways
- Environment Service – Landscape architect; Forestry Officer and/or Ecology Officer.
Individual fees will be required for each service.
Further information regarding each of these services can be found in the Cornwall Council Fees and Charges document.
The ways we can provide planning advice
We can provide pre-app advice:
- as either a desktop only service or
- Desktop plus or
- Full with an unaccompanied site visit plus a virtual meeting or phone call. Visits are all unaccompanied.
Proposals should relate to one development proposal in respect of the site. We will not accept different options for development under a single pre-application enquiry.
Advice given to a pre-application enquiry relates to the merits of the proposal and planning material considerations only.
The pre-application process should not be used for confirmation as to whether planning permission or other planning consents are required or not required.
Should you wish to determine this before submitting a pre-application enquiry please submit a 'Do I need' enquiry.
What are the benefits?
Pre-application discussions:
- save time and money
- reduce the number of unsuccessful planning applications
- make sure you provide enough information with an application.
You can use our pre-application advice service before you submit a planning application. This service can include:
- research the history of the site
- a site visit if required
- checks against Council policies and standards
- an online meeting with the applicant if needed. This could be a telephone discussion.
- checks for further investigations
- checks for key groups needed for consultation
- a written response.
Our response will inform whether you should continue with your planning application.
During the pre-application process we are unable to confirm all validation requirements for an application, you will be provided with some general guidance and directed to the Make a planning application page for more information.
How do I apply?
Please complete the forms below and email to planning@cornwall.gov.uk:
Pre-application advice formPre-application confidential/commercially sensitive checklistPlease complete the confidential/commercially sensitive checklist form if you wish to keep your pre-application confidential. * please see Freedom of Information paragraph below
You will also need to attach to the email the following in order for your request to be processed:
You will need to submit:
- a site location map with site edged red to a scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500
- description/schedule or existing uses on the site, any other information that would assist the officer
- a site plan (to scale)
- correct fee once a reference has been provided (see section below on how to pay).
Please do not submit original hard copies of documents, especially if:
- legal documents
- deeds
- historical information
For more guidance on the pre application process, please read the pre-application advice note.
How do I pay?
Once the above required information is received, your request will be allocated a reference number. A member of the team will email you the reference number with instructions how to pay.
Please have your reference number to hand and click on the link below.
Pay for pre-application advice
What does it cost?
The cost will depend on the advice services being requested, the level of advice and size of the development. For information regarding how much it will cost please see the Cornwall Council Fees and Charges Document.
Householder enquiry
If you wish to alter or extend your home, a householder pre application can be submitted if you know planning is required, for more guidance please view our webpages on:
The Planning Portal website offers quality planning advice.
If you wish to submit a Householder pre application (Category D), advice will be provided from a desktop only assessment.
If you require Building Regulation advice, please contact Building Control Direct
Please discuss your proposals with the occupiers/owners of any neighbouring properties. This is to ensure that the proposal does not affect them.
You can find out more on our “Do I need planning permission?” page if you need help.
Do I need planning permission?
Planning Performance Agreement
A Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) helps manage the planning process.
It is also a useful tool if you want input from a lot of internal consultees. So, you can receive one coordinated response from the service.
The Local Planning Authority (LPA) and applicant can use it to agree:
- timescales
- actions
- resources
PPAs are useful at:
- the pre-application stage
- the planning application stage
- the post decision stage
- combination of these stages
For further information please see our charter.
Planning Performance Agreement CharterCommunity Engagement
Planning case officers offer advice on options for finding out local views. This is part of the pre-application or Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) discussions.
Community engagement is good practice and can:
- identify local issues and concerns
- inform Members and the public of a proposal early in the planning process
- help local councils, developers and officers work together
- show officers pre-application discussions with a developer
- help developers to shape an application to address community issues
- make the submission and determination process smoother.
Freedom of Information
All Pre-applications are publicly available unless a confidential/commercially sensitive form is submitted.
We receive requests to disclose information under the:
- Freedom of Information Act (FOI)
- Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
The Council will have to provide this information unless the information is exempt. We will only withhold information if the information falls under one of the:
- exemptions (FOI)
- exceptions (EIR)
These are set out in legislation.
The applicant should complete the checklist below.
Pre-application confidential/commercially sensitive checklistYou need to explain:
- why the information is confidential and
- for how long the information should be confidential.
If the reason provided is not deemed acceptable, we will question this at the validation stage.
We will note these views. A final decision on whether the information will be withheld is the Council's.
The Council complies with the Data Protection Act. We will not release personal information to third parties.