Get advice on your application

We strongly recommend that you discuss your proposals with us, before submitting your application. Our pre-application service provides the following key benefits:

1. an understanding of the local and national policies relevant to your proposal as well as any constraints and opportunities
2. identification of the key planning issues together with professional advice as to how to resolve them
3. speedier determination of your application once submitted
4. a smoother validation process
5. reduced likelihood that your application will be refused

If you choose not to seek our advice before submitting an application, or choose not to take the advice given, your application may be refused without further negotiation. 

Guide to our pre-application service - pdf - 1.70 Mb

Please note that our pre-application service does not include advice about whether or not you need planning permission. If this is your query you should submit an application for a certificate of lawfulness.

Apply for the pre-application service

Please complete the relevant form (below) and return to us at planning@cheltenham.gov.uk together with any supporting information that you think may be necessary. Before we can begin to process your request, you will also need to pay the relevant fee (see fee schedule below) via our payment page - please select ‘planning application fees’,

Pre App Request Form - docx - 67 Kb

Householder Pre App Request Form - docx - 67 Kb

Conservation Pre App Request Form - docx - 67 Kb

General Principles Pre App Request Form - docx - 68 Kb

Within 20 working days of receiving all the relevant information we aim to:

• provide a full written response
• arrange a meeting if necessary and agree a timescale for a full written response

If you would like your pre-application query to be prioritised, you may wish to consider entering into a Planning Performance Agreement with us (not available for householder proposals).

How to pay

Pay for your pre-app here

Please select 'Planning Application Fees' when making your payment.

Fees for different types of application are listed below.

Specialist comments

Where specialist comments are needed, the following fees will be added to the relevant category of development fee:

• Heritage/Conservation:£50 for householder; £150 non-householder 
• Drainage: £50

Householder pre-application fees

From 1 April 2025 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:

Householder pre-application fees

Service	Fee
Letter only	£90
Letter and meeting	£115
Letter and site visit	£115
Follow-up meeting	+£60

Residential development pre-application fees

From 1 April 2025 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:

Residential development pre-application fees

Size of development	Letter only	Letter and meeting	Letter and site visit	Follow-up meeting	Follow-up letter
1-2 dwellings	£400	£500	£550	+£125	+£140
3-9 dwellings	£950	£1050	£1150	+£140	+£170
10-49 dwellings	£1700	£1800	£1900	+£300	+£450
50-199 dwellings	£3200	£3500	£3700	+£400	+£600
200-350 dwellings	£5000	£5600	£6000	+£500	+£900

We can also provide 'in principle' advice at a meeting (with no written response). Charges for this are £700 for residential development of 10-49 homes or £1,300 for developments of 50 or more homes.

 

Commercial or other non-residential pre-application fees

From 1 April 2025 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:

Commercial or other non-residential pre-application fees

Size of development	Letter only	Letter and meeting	Letter and site visit	Follow-up meeting	Follow-up letter
Up to 500sqm	£330	£440	£500	+£125	+£140
501-999sqm	£550	£650	£750	+£140	+£170
1000-4900sqm	£1800	£1950	£2100	+£300	+£450
5000-9999sqm	£2300	£2750	£3000	+£400	+£650
10000-19999sqm	£4000	£4500	£5000	+£500	+£900

We can also provide 'in principle' advice at a meeting (with no written response). Charges for this are £700 for non-residential developments of up to 5,000 square metres of floor space, or £1,300 for developments exceeding 5,000 square metres of floor space.

Listed building and other pre-application fees

From 1 April 2025 our charges (which are inclusive of VAT) are as follows:

Listed building and other pre-application fees

Type of application	Letter only	Letter and meeting	Letter and site visit	Follow-up meeting	Follow-up letter
Listed building -householder	£90	£115	£155	+£60	N/A
Listed building non-householder	£175	£230	£275	+£125	N/A
Change of use	£230	£275	£335	+£125	+£150
Advertisements	£125	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

 

Exemptions and reductions in pre-application fees

No fees will be payable when:

• the enquiry is made by the county council and relates to a statutory function
• the enquiry is made by a parish council
• the proposal relates to development of an existing dwelling where the works are for the benefit of a disabled occupier

A 50 percent reduction will apply for enquiries made by a local charity or community group.

Freedom of information statement

We may get Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Regulations requests about pre-application advice that we have provided.

Under Environmental Information Regulations Section 12 (5) (f), pre-application advice will not be provided in response to requests unless explicit consent has been provided to enable disclosure.

Explicit consent means that the pre-application applicant must have actively consented to the future disclosure of the information provided.

In using this exemption we will be required to carry out a Public Interest Test. In some circumstances, the lack of explicit consent may be overridden if the Public Interest Test shows that the public interest in disclosing the pre-application advice outweighs the interests in withholding it.

In cases where the Public Interest Test leads to full or partial disclosure, personal data will still be protected by the Data Protection Act. 

You'll find the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidance on EIR Section 12 (5) (f) on the ICO website.

Related Pages

• Make a planning application
• Planning application supporting information